


She's like the Swallow

by Xander_The_Undead



Category: Young Avengers
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-10-31
Updated: 2014-11-13
Packaged: 2017-12-31 01:08:30
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 24,943
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1025538
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Xander_The_Undead/pseuds/Xander_The_Undead
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Making the decision to have a child is momentous.  It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body.  -Elizabeth Stone. She was theirs. She was their whole world.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Khirsah](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Khirsah/gifts), [Cris-Art](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Cris-Art).
  * Inspired by [The Edge of Seventeen](https://archiveofourown.org/works/997927) by [Khirsah](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Khirsah/pseuds/Khirsah). 



> This is a story based off of Khirsah's wonderful story The Edge of Seventeen, it is a late Birthday gift for her! So sorry! Happy birthday! This is also to Cris-Art as well because she drew the beautiful picture that started it! You can see it at the start of The Edge of Seventeen. Happy Halloween!
> 
> Warnings/Triggers: This story will contain the death of a young child.
> 
> The biggest thank you to my beta and Life-Partner, Dunmercusswords. Honey, with out you I would be nothing but a sobbing mess and this story would have never been made. You encouraged me through every bit of this story and life and all I can say is thank you and I love you. A large thank you to Caterpills as well because she read through it and gave me the confidence I needed to just post it and not agonize over it more.

_She's like the swallow that flies on high_

_She's like the river that never runs dry_

_She's like the sun beaming on the lea shore_

_I love my love, but love is no more_  
  
- **Newfoundland folk song**

 

  
  
This had to be the worst Friday night in the history of Friday nights.

Instead of being at home, buried under millions of blankets, drinking the newest seasonal microbrew, and sitting next to his bodacious babe of a husband while they watched Teddy’s old Teen Wolf DVDs and argued whether Derek was hotter with or without facial hair, he was inside time and space trying to fix a tear because Strange was busy.

What could he say? He married a baby skinned man—that’s what he liked.

Though if Teddy did decide to grow or shift a beard, Billy wouldn’t mind it too much.  It actually would be pretty hot, feeling that course hair against his face or jaw or, God… his neck!  
  
 _Focus, Billy!_

He frowned and momentarily panicked when he felt, more than saw, the world he was in tilt heavily, and cursed as he tried to project some form of his body into this plane.He managed to get his left hand and right forearm in, the body parts swimming among a vast sea of bright lights and colors that the mage doubted Crayola could ever think up.  So many blues, purples, greens, yellows and beige no, no.  Stay away from the beige.  Yuck.  God, why did he suck so hard at this right now?

“You look like you are about to have an aneurysm.”

Teddy’s voice boomed through the lights and colors, and if Billy had ears he would have tried to plug them… with one hand.   _Yeah, that would work_.  Billy tried opening his mouth, which was not present, to respond to that annoyingly attractive being who was tethering him to the real world, but all that came out was sparks of blue electricity where his stomach should have been.

_Ugh, this was so frustrating!_

How was he ever going to prove that he could take on the mantle of Sorcerer Supreme when he couldn’t even get traveling through time, space, and dimensions right?   _William Kaplan-Altman, you are the worst super hero in the history!  I don’t know why you even pretend that you’re—_

“Alright, now you just look constipated.”

“Oh my god!  Shut up”  _Ah!_  “I talked!  Did you hear me?!”

The most beautiful laugh echoed in his mind.  “I always hear you, B.”

Billy would never admit that his husband’s words warmed the air around him, transforming it into soothing swirls of pink, red, and hints of green.  God, he was such a sucker for Teddy, even the almighty being/thing that was time and space knew it.  “Oh-Hokay, buddy.  Please don’t sweet talk me while I’m wading knee deep in alternate dimensions where they probably think the Snuggie is a socially acceptable outfit.”

“ _You_ bought me that Snuggie. Besides, they are warm and wonderful for lounging.”  He could hear the smile in those words, and could almost feel the wisp of hair that Teddy was pushing off his forehead back where his real body actually was.  “So, how long does fixing a rip in time actually take?”

If Billy had his shoulders he would have shrugged them, and rolled his non-existent eyes.  “How should I know?  It’s not like Stephen-“

“Stephen?”

“Yeah, I call him by his first name.  Jealous?”  He tried to keep his tone playful while he tried to figure out what was a hole and what was magic.  Chatting with Teddy always relaxed him and helped him to focus instead of becoming a nervous wreck and causing half the cows in Oklahoma to burst into flames.  (He was a vegetarian for months after that little incident.)

“Tch.  Yeah, of _you._ ”  The comeback made the entire plane vibrate, or maybe that was just Billy?  “You’re calling the Sorcerer Supreme by his first name while I’m still struggling to call Miss Danvers ‘Carol.’”

“Even though she’s told you time and time again to call her that…”

“Yes, I know.”

“Just saying.”

Billy tried to concentrate again and let out a loud whoop when the rest of his left arm started to appear, along with his left foot.  It wasn’t much, but it was progress.  He scanned the area of swirling colors and lights and tried to find what could even look like a tear as he tried to make his right arm fully appear.  He was about to give up and tell Teddy to get ready for him to come back, when his eyes caught the smallest hint of black amongst the colors.  It was small, only big enough for his hand to fit through, but it seemed like so much more than just a tear as he moved closer.

“Hey, babe?  What do you think the chances are that _a tear in the universe_ actually just looks like when you tore those 250 thread-count sheets I bought?”

“…I thought you said I was forgiven for that.”  Billy smiled, or it felt like he was smiling, when he could hear the soft whine and guilty tone in his husband’s voice.  

“You so are, I’m just comparing.  Besides, I can’t be too mad since you ripped them in the throes of passion.  I take it as a huge compliment. ”

“Ugh, shut up.”

“Never.”

Billy moved closer to the tear and stopped directly in front of it.  It felt weird, even weirder than having only two disembodied arms and a foot instead of an entire body.  It seemed like the black hole was filled with nothing and everything at the same time, softly calling Billy closer and closer as the colors tried their best to swim around it.  He reached up to touch it, and was surprised that it felt warm, not ice cold like he was expecting because, y’know, _space_.

“Okay, I’m going to try putting it back together.”

“You aren’t going to wish it?”

Billy could feel his mouth twisting into some form of pout.  “No…  Stephen said I need to work on other forms of my powers, instead of just wishing everything to be how I want it.”  He watched as his disembodied hands started to glow blue and he carefully reached out to take hold of the tear, the warmth intensifying under his hands.

Then he saw it.  Something shifted behind the tear.  “Holy shit…”

“Billy?”  He could hear the worry lacing his husband’s words.  “B, what’s happening?  You okay?”

“I’m fine, T.  It’s just…”  He frowned and pushed hisindex finger into the void.  His magic pulsed and tore at the inky blackness, causing part of the tear to light up gold.   _Okay, that was pretty cool._  He focused more of his magic into his fingertip and watched as electric blue mixed with gold and black, causing the tear to suck his fingers in while the rest of the black turned gold.

“Billy!”

_Ack!_

“Yeah!  Sorry, I’m here.  Just messing with things.”  The next thing he did he really thought through—he thought about it _for threwhole seconds_ before he pushed his entire hand into the now glowing gold hole.  Nothing could go wrong with that.  Nah.

He gasped when magic burst from within, his blue and something green sparked along with the gold and started to make its way up his arm and overtake the other colors around the tear.  It was so beautiful, watching colors succumb to his electric blue and the odd gold and green, while the lights one by one slowly blinked out like little stars dying quietly.  The funny thing was that none of this caused Billy to panic until the tear started to pull his arm in with an inhuman amount of strength.

“Ah!”

“Billy?!”

No matter how much he tugged and tried to focus on getting his hand out of the hole, whatever was inside held him tight, pulling him quicker and quicker into the void that glowed gold, green and blue.  He started to try every trick Strange had taught him, from willing your body completely calm to going into extreme survival  mode and throwing almost everything he had at the tear but all it did was make it pull him harder.

“Shit!”

“BILLY!”

He quickly fell back on his own ways, closed his free hand into a fist and started to chant. 

“ _IwishIwerewithTeddy.  IwishIwerewithTeddy.  IwishIwerewithTeddy.  IwishIwerewithTeddy!!”_   

He could hear Teddy’s worried shouts boom around him in the mass of the three colors while he struggled in vain against the three colors and the force pulling him ever closer inside. “I WISH IS WERE WITH TEDDY!” He screamed before the pulling stopped and his hand came up against something hard and rough against his clothed fingers.

“Wha-?”

“Billy!!”

Everything exploded into blinding white.

 

_“Hey.  My name is Teddy.”_

_“B-Billy.  Mine’s Billy.”_

_“I suck so bad at this hero thing!”_

_“No!  You are doing great.  Just need some practice… my mom has some books that might help.”_

_“Umm… I kinda… really… ugh.  I really like you.”_

_“Me?”_

_“No, Eli.  Of course you!”_

_“Why?!”_

_“Billy!”_

_“Whoa… where did you learn that?”_

_“What?”_

_“To kiss like that?”_

_“I’m not that much of a virgin.  I know a few things.”_

_“You learned it from reading fanfiction, didn’t you?”_

_“I will neither confirm nor deny.”_

_“I love you, Teddy.”_

_“But if you somehow manage to convince my idiot boyfriend to go with you… I will rip your legs off.”_

  _“Enough is enough.  I’ve tried to be patient and supportive, but you need to talk to me, or Wanda, or someone, right now.  No, I take that back.  You need to talk to_ me _.”_

_“I’m sorry.”_

_“You should be.  Because if I’ve learned nothing else from all this, I know now that life is way too short for you to be sitting here wasting yours… and mine.”_

_“A-are you breaking up with me?”_

_“And give you another reason to sit in the dark doing nothing?  Sorry, Kaplan.  You’re stuck with me… ‘Til death do us part.”_

_“Teddy Altman… did you just propose to me?”_

_“Depends.  Are you going to get off your ass and do something?”_

_“I love you, B.”_

_“I can handle this.”_

_“Good.  That means you won’t need me.”_

_“Ahhnnn!  Oh god, Teddy.  Teddy, Teddy, Teddy!”_

_“Jesus Billy…  I missed you so much.”_

_“I, William Kaplan, take you, Theodore Altman, to be my lawfully wedded husband.”_

_“Did you try and make me a cake?  Is that what that charred black thing on the table is?”_

_“Yes…  Now everything is ruined.  The apartment smells like smoke, dinner is over cooked and dessert is WAY overcooked.”_

_“I’m just touched you tried to make me a cake without killing everyone in New York.  Why not just magic a cake?”_

_“That’s cheating.  I wanted it to be ‘from the heart’.  Happy Birthday…”_

_“Mmmm….”_

_“GAH!  TEDDY, DON’T EAT IT!  YOU’LL DIE!”_

_“Teddy Kaplan-Altman!  Did you eat all the peanut butter again?!”_

_“Billy!  Pick up your socks!”_

_“I, Theodore Altman, take you, William Kaplan, to be my lawfully wedded husband.”_

_“I really want a cheese burger.”_

_“Bad Jew.”_

_“You like it.”_

_“Yep.  Nothing is sexier than watching you eat a baconator.  Oh god, please, Billy, take me now.”_

_“I’ll smear the special sauce all over your face and stomach.”_

_“God!  That’s gross!”_

_“I can’t believe we have a Christmas tree with the Star of David on top.”_

_“I think it’s nice.  The blue and silver goes really well with the ornaments we made.”_

_“Do I get a stocking this year?”_

_“I love you.”_

_“Till death do us part.”_

 

Billy sat upright, screaming his lungs out as he stared at the plain, soft-white wall of his own living room.  He continued to scream, even as he felt large, strong hands grip his shoulders and shake him, and it wasn’t until Teddy reached over and flicked his ear that he stopped to rub at the stinging lobe.  “Oww,” he rasped, his voice now sore and broken.

“What the hell, B?!  You scared me half to death!”

Billy barely got a word out before he was swallowed up in his husband’s arms, and let out a soft sigh as he buried his face in the soft fabric of Teddy’s well-worn Knicks hoodie.  He took a few deep, calming breaths as the blond man stroked his back, the mixture of detergent, Teddy’s cologne and that clean, musky scent that was just…  Home.

“I-I think I’m good now.”  Billy whispered, but strong arms continued to hold him tight and he couldn’t help but press a kiss to Teddy’s neck.  “T…  I’m okay.”  Unfortunately, scares like thesewas a rather normal occurrence due to their jobs.  Saving the world had a very high fatality rate and each time Teddy was crushed and beaten, or Billy got lost in an alternate dimension with no way home, they both experienced the stomach dropping fear that they would never see each other again.

He felt Teddy press a soft, lingering kiss to his temple before he pulled back enough to rest his forehead against the mage’s.  “I hate when you do the whole out-of-body experience.  I’m only twenty-seven, too young to be a widower.”  Billy smiled, reaching up to press a soft kiss against his husband’s lips and humming happily when he felt him kiss back.

He felt Teddy tense when he placed a hand on the blond’s thigh and tilted his head to deepen the kiss, causing his partner to groan softly and pull away with a soft smack of their lips.  “Okay.  Even though I would absolutely love having ‘Oh my god you’re not dead’ sex right now, we kinda have to deal with something.”  Billy frowned and watched as Teddy shifted back on the couch, his cheeks flushed and his expression perplexing.

“Deal with something?  What?”

Teddy moved his hands up and down in front of himself for a second, looking lost on how to put it.  “Well, it seems you brought back…”  He glanced up at the ceiling, momentarily at a loss for words.  “You brought back a hitchhiker.”

Billy couldn’t see his own face but he knew his eyes must have been bugging out of his head when he quickly looked around the room for anything that they might need to call Stephen in for or god maybe even the entire Avengers!  “Shit! Is it that ice and fire breathing dragon? Ya know, the one we we nick-named Smaug after we had to cut its head off and throw it back through the portal?!”

He was still panicking even when Teddy took his hand.  “Calm down, Freakazoid.  It’s nothing like that.  It’s… well, it’s an egg.  A skrull egg.”

That’s when Billy finally noticed the thing sitting next to their entertainment unit.  It was about the size of a punch ball balloon, the shell was rough with little craters along the sides, with blue and green lines swirled around it.  Damn it… he’d brought a god damn Skrull Easter egg from the magical plains of whatever.

“I’ll call Stephen.”

“I’ll call Tony.”

 

 

 

* * *

“So…  We have good news, and some ‘might be weird’ news.”

Teddy and Billy sat in the most uncomfortable metal chairs they had in one of the millions of labs in the Stark Tech building, and watched as two of the world’s top scientists, along with the Sorcerer Supreme, walked back and forth from them to the little platform on which they’d placed the egg.  A heat lamp kept it warm.

Tony Stark perused a few holo spreadsheets which Teddy could clearly see contained information about the egg, while Hank McCoy continued to examine it, checking the temperature of the thing at least four times while they sat there.  Why was Hank even here?  Teddy knew he was a genealogist, among his other talents, but he had always assumed that he’d specialized in human and mutant genes, not Skrull genes.

Teddy watched Billy lean forward and caught eyes with his mentor before he glanced over at Tony.  “Alright… ready to give us the good news?”  They still had no idea why they were both called down.  Billy had brought it out of the tear, so they had both assumed that it was more Billy’s responsibility than Teddy’s and once they had dropped it off with Strange, that things would go back to normal.   Things did for a while, until they received a phone call from Stark Tech requesting both of them to come down to the labs.

Teddy snapped his attention to Tony when the man, Iron freaking Man, walked towards the egg and rested a careful hand on the top.  “What we have here, is in fact a skrull egg…” Teddy and Billy waited in silence for him to continue; Tony knew how to ham everything up.  The silence must have stretched on too long because Doctor Strange cleared his throat and glared at Stark, obviously annoyed.

“Which has inside it,” he concluded, “a very _healthy_ baby girl.”

“Err, well…  That’s good?”  Billy glanced at his husband, and Teddy could see by his husband’s expression that they had the exact same thought.  So?  Okay, so it was a girl skrull.  Was that supposed to mean something?  Were they expecting Teddy to want in on the research or something since he was part skrull?  Or maybe feel attached to the egg?  Why did geniuses never make sense?

“Oh right!  Now time for the weird news!”  Tony exclaimed clapping his hands together.  He gave the egg a little pat and approached the two bewildered men, pulling up one of his holo screens.  On it was a picture and diagram of the egg, along with many different charts and numbers.  “You see,” Tony said softly, “This isn’t just a baby skrull.”

Billy tensed.  “It’s not?”

Teddy felt uneasy as Tony shook his head.

“No. It is a part Skrull, part Kree and half human baby girl.”

It took Billy and Teddy an embarrassingly long amount of time to connect those obvious dots that were laid out for them, and when they finally connected Teddy could feel something hot and stinging in his eyes but refused to acknowledge it while they were in company.

“Do…  Are you telling us…?”  He could hear Billy struggle for words and he didn’t blame him.  Teddy wasn’t even sure he had the brain power to close his mouth.  “Are you saying that the egg right there…. the _baby_ inside that thing… is…”

“Ours?”  Teddy finished his husband’s sentence for him, feeling a few tears break free as they slid down his cheek.  The shapeshifter stared at the egg on the platform; its blue and green lines and size making it obvious it wasn’t just a normal giant egg.  It was _their_ egg, _their_ child, and Teddy could barely contain the grin that spread across his face, making even his shift able cheeks ache.  How long had he and Billy been planning to make a family of their own?  Looking over thousands of adoption programs and applying to hundreds, now all of that seemed so far away.  So very far away, because now there was a small child growing inside an egg that was wholly and completely theirs, DNA and everything.

“A-Are you sure it’s ours?  What if it is some other Billy and Teddy’s kids, like in a reality where one of us is a girl… or something?”

The blonde blinked and glanced at his husband, surprised by the question and the weird tone he was using and his heart sank when he saw the look on Billy’s face.  The brunette’s normally light olive complexion had turned ashen white; his brown eyes looked wide and haunted, as if he had received news of something terrible.  Teddy could never mistake what he saw in those eyes, for he had seen it far too many times than he would like to admit.

_Fear._

Teddy felt his stomach grow cold.

He was about to question his husband, but Stephen spoke first.  “Ah, William.  I see what you mean, but you can rest assured knowing that you are not stealing anyone’s child.  The infant inside belongs solely to you and Theodore, the William and Theodore _here_ and _now_.”

Billy’s dark brown eyes quickly moved to Hank who smiled widely at him, his sharp teeth shining against the dark blue of his lips.  “She is truly yours, Mr. William.  I’ve compared her genes to your blood samples that we’ve gathered over the years.  She is a match to both yours and Theodore’s.”

Teddy hadn’t thought it possible for Billy to grow paler, but it happened.

“I-is she…?”

Hank tilted his head but then gave a soft, comforting smile, reaching out to take his glasses off his snout. “Is she a mutant?”  Teddy blinked when he saw Billy nod; he honestly hadn’t even thought of that.  He instinctively reached out to grip his husband’s cold, thin hand, giving it a soft squeeze; he felt a shred of relief when Billy squeezed back.

Hank’s smile was sad as he looked back at the egg.  “Well… it is far too early for me to tell if she has the gene.  Usually, we just wait until the child develops its powers or shows signs, but there are tests we can do once she is born.  The test requires more blood than what I’m comfortable taking from an unborn child, and I would be far too worried about cracking her shell and harming her development.”

Teddy nodded.  That was all very understandable, so it made him a bit annoyed when Billy continued to question Doctor McCoy.  “Give me a percentage.”

Everyone in the room was silent; Tony and Stephen exchanged awkward confused glances while Teddy tried not to panic about how his husband’s questioning might offend Dr. McCoy, even though Billy himself was genetically a mutant as well.

Hank’s blue eyes were full of sadness.  “Knowing the Maximoff genes, William, it is highly likely that she will be half mutant.”

Billy’s thin, strong shoulders sag at that news, and as Billy watched him something inside him snapped.  He quickly stood up out of his seat, his hand that still held Billy’s tugging the mage halfway out of his own chair, causing the brunette to stare up at him with wide eyes.

Billy looked confused.  Teddy was pissed.

Blue eyed hardened into a glare as he tugged Billy up so that he was standing.  “Excuse me, gentlemen. I need to talk with my husband.”

Nobody questioned him, not even Billy, as he pulled his husband out of the lab and down the hall.  He barely checked to see if anyone was around before he rounded on the brunette with a stern look, his arms already coming across his chest.  “Okay, what the hell was all that about in there?”

He watched Billy squirm slightly against the wall he was leaning on, his shoulders bunching up and his arms moving to wrap around his thin waist.  It had been a very long time since Teddy has seen Billy cower like this, not since Cassie had died and Eli left, when Billy had become a living husk of what he used to be.  Seeing that again almost made Teddy stop, made him want to wrap his arms around his husband and press a kiss to those unruly dark curls.

But then Billy opened his mouth.  “We should send it back…”

Teddy could only see red.

“What is going on with you?”  He barked; he noticed the way Billy flinched at his tone but he was far too upset to let that bother him right now.  “First of all, you went on and on about wanting a kid for two years now and suddenly you _don’t_ —”   He held his hand up when Billy tried to interject, silencing him with one glare.

“You were flat out rude to Doctor McCoy back there!  Acting like the chance of your kid being a mutant was a _bad_ thing—did you forget who some of our best friends are?”  His face flushed, he could tell because his cheeks felt way too warm.  He could shift it away but he decided against it, he wanted Billy to know how much his attitude was bothering him.  When Billy didn’t respond, instead staring hard at the ground, Teddy felt anger fill him all over again.

_Perfect couple my ass._

It was true that he loved Billy.  He loved this man so much that sometimes it scared him how much of a hold Billy had on him.  Even after being together for so long, and knowing the other would always come back to him, he would still dig out the shirt Billy had worn the other day and curl up with it at night when Stephen called on his husband for overnight missions.

But loving someone this much also meant you knew which buttons to push.  That right there was always their downfall.

Everyone thought that the two of them were the perfect couple.  How can a couple be perfect when who a shapeshifting alien prince who had a lot of patience up until that point where he’d Hulk out, and the other was a gorgeous dark-eyed reality warper who was way too smart and sharp-tongued for his own good?

“And now—now!—you’re telling me that you want to _get rid_ of something that is a part of both of us?  There is a child in that egg, Billy, a baby girl.  And she’s ours!”  He didn’t mean to let his voice break on that last sentence, and he ducked his head to make sure Billy didn’t catch the way his eyes started to water a bit.

They were both silent for a moment.  Billy pressed against the wall, refusing to look at him, while Teddy tried to organize his thoughts so they didn’t just come all spilling out in a jumble.

Finally, Teddy pushed down the anger, put all in and went for broke.  “I thought you wanted us to be a family.”  He whispered.

_Family._

Something he had always been scrambling for after he lost his.

The way she smelled.

How she spoke.

Her hugs and kisses.

How she argued, teased, laughed, gave, and loved.

_“Teddy.  I will always love you.”_

Mom.

At that Billy jerked his head up and Teddy had to take a step back at the anger and hurt in his husband’s dark eyes, tears starting to well up in them as he moved forward and poked Teddy in the chest roughly.  “Don’t you _dare!_  Don’t you _dare_ make it sound like I don’t want to make a family with you, Theodore Rufus Kaplan-Altman.”

God… his name was such a mouthful now.

The poke didn’t hurt, but he took a step back when Billy took another forward due to the sheer emotion Billy was conveying with his voice, motions and eyes.  His dark brows knitted together in frustration and he could see Billy form a fist at his side while electric blue swirled around it slowly.  His heart broke when tears escaped Billy’s lids and slid slowly down his pale cheeks, only to be scrubbed away quickly because his husband hated crying in front of people.  “I have wanted nothing more than to do that for you, Teddy.  To give you a family a-after…”  They both knew what he wanted to say.

After your mom died.

Long, slender fingers ran through dark, wild hair in frustration, and Teddy could only watch as Billy tugged on the strands roughly, loving that his husband was kind enough not to bring her up in anger.  Teddy was always sensitive about that and Billy always made sure never to speak of her when they were arguing.

“Then… why?”

Teddy was actually startled and moved back a bit when his husband let out a loud, frustrated cry.  Billy removed his hands from his hair quickly and looked at Teddy and there was no more anger in his eyes, only fear.  “Because it’s _ours_ , Teddy.”

The way Billy said it made Teddy shudder.

Like it was a death sentence.

“She wouldn’t only just be our daughter.  She would have Kree _and_ Skrull in her, which makes her a very easy target for both planets to use if they found out.”  Teddy flinched, hating how right Billy was about that.  He let out a soft sigh when he felt Billy’s cool fingers on his cheek, and let his blue eyes meet with his husband’s dark.  “And it’s not just your side, T.  If we are only counting my biological family, then she will be a skinny white Jewish girl…  But my other family.”  Teddy watched Billy lick his lips as he tried to figure out how to put _that_ into words.  “Not that it’s a bad thing that her kind-of second grandmother is the Scarlet Witch—that actually sounds super wicked cool, but the kind of power that is in those genes… In _my_ genes!  Hell, we’re lucky I didn’t kill everyone on the block when I got my powers…  But what if she’s not as lucky?”

Teddy hadn’t thought about that.

The combination of their genetics and powers would either be the most amazing thing anyone had ever seen.

Or it could be horrible.

But still…

“You never know until you try, B.”

He saw the way fear flashed again over Billy’s face and all he could do was hold him.  Billy continuing to mutter how it was a bad idea against his shoulder but not saying no either.

 

 

 

* * *

It wasn’t that Billy was in a bad mood.  Really, he wasn’t.  He had nothing to be upset about.

So they decided to keep the egg, against his better judgment!  Oh well.  So his phone was vibrating non-stop with questions and congratulations from family and friends!  Whatever.  So his mom and Kate insisted on throwing them a baby shower!  Who cares?

He didn’t care, even when Tommy kept making stupid annoying egg jokes and questioning if that made Teddy the ‘Mommy’.

He didn’t even complain when Carol and his mom suggested they go away for a bit, taking the egg with them of course, to get ready and spend time with each other and their… egg.  How could he complain when it made Teddy smile like that?  He would never want to dash Teddy’s hopes of him trying to accept this egg as his, which was why he was crammed into the front seat of Teddy’s Hyundai hatch-back, headed up to Tony’s lake house on Cayuga Lake.

They couldn’t fly or teleport since Tony, Hank and Stephen weren’t quite sure what the effects out have on the egg.  Which honestly though, Billy pulled it from a tear inside space and time, so the kid could deal with a little teleporting or high altitude, right?  But he didn’t put up a fight, not even when Teddy went out a bought a freaking car seat for the egg which sat behind him right now, all wrapped up in several blankets to keep up its temperature.

Nope.  He had nothing to be upset about…  Except for the fact that stupid Brandon fricking Sharpe kept texting and calling his husband, asking him really dumb questions.  

Okay, that wasn’t fair.  Since Teddy was going to take on the mantle of Captain Marvel once Carol retired, they had entrusted him with a lot more responsibilities and missions so that he would be prepared to lead when the time came.  So when Teddy leaves he has to make sure everything is taken care of while he is gone, hence Teddy leaving Brandon some of the responsibility… which made no sense.

Okay, _again_ , Billy was being biased.

Brandon and Billy never really got along well, and that was probably due to the fact that Billy had Teddy and Brandon didn’t.  But Brandon and Teddy?  If Billy didn’t have a ring on his finger, an egg-child thing with Teddy, and completely unconditional trust in him, he would have been really worried about those two.  Brandon took to Teddy quickly, and Teddy almost the same; then again, you would have to be a real douchebag for Teddy not to want to be friends with you.

When the Mad Men theme song started to play again and Brandon’s name lit up on Teddy’s phone, Billy rolled his eyes.  Teddy shot him a sorry smile.  “Sorry, B.  I promise this will be the last time.”

“Sure.”  Billy muttered; he dug his old 3DS XL out of his sweat shirt pocket and turned it on.  Even though people made fun of them, Billy and Teddy played X and Y avidly.  What could they say?  They were attached to their Pokémon.  As the start menu started to open he heard Teddy give a soft laugh at something the other had to say on the other line and he almost stabbed his 3DS right through with his stylus from sheer force.

Nope.  Not jealous.

Not.  

_Stab._

At.  

_Stab._

All.

He was lucky his DS didn’t break by the time Teddy hung up, and he tried his best to look neutral when he felt his husband’s gaze on him.  He must have been failing because he heard Teddy sigh and shift one hand from the wheel to rest heavily on Billy’s thigh.

God, he was so warm.

“I’m sorry, B. He just needed to go through a few details, alright? I told him before this was our special week, so only serious emergencies from now on.”

“Yes, because Brandon being bored is a very big emergency.”  He winced when he felt the hand on his thigh lift slightly in hesitation.  “I’m sorry. I know you can’t control when he calls or texts you.  I’m just being…”

“Cranky?”  Teddy offered.

“I was going to say sensitive but fine, make me sound like a four year-old.  I’m sure that will win you some points when we get to the house and we have nothing but alone-time and you don’t get any.”  He was bluffing, Teddy knew he was bluffing, all New York knew he was bluffing, but it was the principal of the matter.  He felt lighter when Teddy chuckled and gave his thigh a tight squeeze.

“Well, I’ll just have to do a few good deeds, answer a few questions in class, and win a Quidditch match.  Then Headmistress McGonagall will have to award me back the points my other favorite magic user so wrongfully deducted from me.”

Billy side-eyed his husband with a tight-lipped expression.  “Good God…  That was too nerdy and sappy even for me.”  At Teddy’s laugh Billy reached out to flick at one of the many rings in his husband’s ear and smiled at the fake cry of pain Teddy let out.  They teased and laughed at each other like the idiots they were for a few minutes before Teddy glanced back in the rear view mirror to check on the egg.

“What should we name her?”

Crap.  Billy bit his lip and glanced outside at the scenery whipping by them, houses and trees seeming far more interesting than naming the kid in the back seat.  Once you name it, then you grow attached to it and that scared the shit out of Billy.

“Buffy?”  He joked, and he was so relieved when Teddy snorted a laugh and rolled his eyes instead of getting that sad look on his face.

“You want to name our kid Buffy?  Are you hoping she’ll follow in her namesake’s path and defeat evil and the supernatural while going through the awfulness that is everyday high school life?  ‘Cause with a name like that it’s either that or stripping.”

Billy smirked.  “God, if she is actually my kid then stripping is a no go.  You’re the only one who can actually dance; I just wiggle around and stick as close to you as I can.”  He couldn’t help the fluttering of his heart when he saw Teddy’s happy smile.  

“I wonder what she’ll look like…”  Teddy thought out loud as he gazed back at the egg sitting quietly in its car seat.

Still ridiculous, but Billy had wondered that too.

You take Teddy’s amazingly good-looking alien DNA and mix it with his awkward, skinny, mutant DNA and what did you get?  A really weird, Jewish alien baby?

“I hope she looks like you, B.”

Billy threw up his hands in an over dramatic gesture.  “Oh my God, Teddy!  Why would you wish that on any child?   Do you know how many years I had to wear braces and headgear for these teeth?  You’re just lucky you met me on my last months of having a retainer; my teeth were awful.”  Billy shook his head and turned around in his seat to look at the egg.  “If anything, I hope she looks like you.”

Teddy snorted.  “Ummm… shapeshifter, remember?  Well, to be fair I have no idea how skrulls come out, but just saying.”

Billy shook his head as he moved back into his seat properly.  “Oh shut up. I’ve seen your baby album.  If you were human-looking at two then I’m pretty sure she will be too.  God, if she gets your eyes, and maybe those cute chubby red cheeks you had—oh, and I hope she’s as happy as you!   I remember your mom saying you would smile and laugh and laugh until you fell over… God, who gave you the right to be so adorable?”

Teddy smiled, probably because Billy wasn’t referring to the baby as it anymore, and took Billy’s hand over the gear shift.  “Well, I want her to look at least somewhat like you.  That way I won’t feel like I starfished my way into having a kid by breaking my arm off.”  They both snorted at that.  “Also, I’m hoping she gets your build.  I don’t know if I can handle the whole teenage girl ‘I’m fat and ugly and my life sucks!’ phase.”

“What are you talking about?  I’m nothing to look at.”

“Excuse me?  Have you forgotten your old Wiccan costumes and how fucking amazing your legs and ass looked in those?”  Billy saw the slight glazed-over look on Teddy’s face and felt proud that just remembering him made Teddy want him.  “Well, when we get to the house I can maybe show you my amazing legs and ass in the bedroom.”

It felt like Teddy had pressed down harder on the gas pedal, but Billy didn’t comment.

By the time they reached the house it was already two and their stomachs were complaining loudly about the lack of lunch they had received, but that didn’t stop the two of them from acting like kids and excitedly checking out every single one of the four bedrooms, three bathrooms, giant island kitchen, entertainment room and the small lab down in the basement.

“This is so cool!”  Billy gushed as he watched Teddy heave their bags onto his shoulders effortlessly and close the trunk.  “We are staying in one of Tony Stark’s houses.  Iron Man’s house!”

“I know!  Did you see the master bathroom?  That thing must have been designed by Tony himself with how many gadgets and things it has in there.  Could you grab Buffy?”

At Teddy’s wink Billy smiled, but the smile faded slightly when he realized what Teddy was asking him to do.  Oh.  Teddy wanted him to…  Sure.  No big deal.  Wasn’t like this was his first time touching it or anything… 

Who was he kidding?  He had been avoiding touching this egg ever since Teddy brought it out of the tear.  He opened the back door and looked at the warm large egg resting inside its car seat, and he sighed as he reached out to touch the top of the rough hard shell.  If this really was his kid, she’d be laughing at him right now.

_Scared to touch an egg, Kaplan?_

Why was his daughter calling him Kaplan in his imagination?

Pushing that weird imagery away, unlatched the tiny seat belt and reached under the egg, using the blanket to cover his hand, and hoisted it up and out like he’d seen Teddy do.

It was warm.

He would have been lying to himself if he didn’t admit to holding the egg a little tighter when he started walking; he just didn’t want to break it okay?  When he walked through the door with the egg clutched tightly to his chest, the look Teddy gave him made his knees go weak.

Teddy looked so blissfully happy.

“I really like seeing you carry her.”

Billy blushed slightly, but his mouth was not feeling nearly as sappy.  “Does this mean when I make us breakfast you’re going to feel the same while I make us omelets?”  Billy was relieved when Teddy just chuckled and moved over to kiss him.  Billy’s breath hitched when Teddy’s tongue slid across his lips, asking for entrance as one of his large hands came to rest on Billy’s hip.  Billy whimpered softly at the heat he could feel from Teddy’s hand and immediately opened his mouth, letting his husband’s tongue inside.

They stood there for what seemed like hours, letting out soft gasps and small groans as they continued to let the kiss become deeper and more passionate before Billy remembered that he was holding something that was keeping him from wrapping around Teddy like a tree.  “Ah…  T.”  He breathed as he pulled away regretfully.  “We can’t exactly do this while I’m holding the egg-child.”

“Oh!”  Teddy blushed and it made Billy want to pull him in for another heavy make-out session, because God Teddy looked good when he blushed.  “Right.  Sorry.  Here, hand her to me and I’ll go set up the little heat lamp Tony gave me.”

Billy nodded and traded the egg off to Teddy’s arms, already missing both Teddy and the egg’s warmth.

“So…”  Billy kicked off his shoes and followed Teddy upstairs, into the master bedroom, which looked like it belonged in the president’s suite in the Hilton instead of in a lake house.  “Do we have to feed her or does she, like, feed herself while she’s in there?”  He watched Teddy gently place Buffy on the plush, dark red bed and set up a little soft pillow, wires and a heating lamp.

“Ummm…” Teddy started as he reached behind the night stand to find the outlet, “I don’t think we have to feed her, cause I mean how would we?  She’s encased in a hard shell.  I guess it’s like lizards and crocodiles, she doesn’t have to be fed until after she’s out.  Ah!”  Teddy let out a happy noise when he finally got the plug in and moved out from behind the night table.

Billy nodded slightly.  “That’s actually pretty cool.”

Teddy hummed in agreement as he moved the pillow.

When they finished setting everything up for Buffy Teddy smiled and picked up the pink fuzzy puppy blanket that Billy’s mom had insisted the egg needed, much like the seventeen little onesies and two pairs of booties that apparently Buffy absolutely couldn’t do without.

“So, what now?  Movies?  Games?  Maybe a little…”  He let his voice go husky as he crept up beside his husband and goosed him, causing Teddy to yelp and toss the blanket at him.

“Um, no hanky-panky while there is a child in the room.”  Teddy scolded, the stern face and firm finger wag was a perfect look alike for Rebecca Kaplan’s ‘No fun unless I say so’ face.

“Pfft! Hanky-panky?  Okay, Bubbe.”  Billy teased as he followed Teddy back out of the bedroom and down the stairs.  They made all the way it into the living room when Billy noticed that Teddy hadn’t taken off his shoes or his windbreaker, and he chuckled as he tugged on the noisy, uncomfortable fabric.  “You should probably take off your shoes.  I mean, I know Tony likes us, but not enough for us to get mud or something all over the cream carpets upstairs.”  When Teddy hesitated in answering him, Billy immediately went on guard.  “Ted?”

When his husband turned and gave him the most beautiful guilty smile, Billy felt a mix between how amazing gorgeous Teddy was and that ‘oh crap’ feeling—the tightening of the stomach and that not entirely pleasant chill.  “Actually,” Teddy started, taking Billy’s hand and leading him through the dining room and into the kitchen, “I was thinking I could go into town for a bit and pick up some food, maybe check Redbox and see what they have available for an after dinner show.”

Billy’s eyes narrowed, and he could feel his lips tighten.  “This is Tony Stark’s house.  I’m sure he has every movie imaginable in his data base, even some that are still only out in theaters.”

Ah, there it was—the slight look of panic in his husband’s eyes.  Many wouldn’t be able to catch it; Teddy had worked hard to retain the authoritative persona of staying cool under pressure, but Billy knew when Teddy was full of it.

“Well, I still have to go get some food for us.”  The break in eye contact was the dead giveaway and Billy crossed his arms across his chest.  “Then I’ll go with you.”

“No!”

They both stared at each other in silence, stubborn, annoyed brown eyes meeting pleading blue eyes before Billy shifted and cock his hip out to the side, a trait Teddy insisted he inherited from Rebecca and Wanda, and stood firmly.  “Why not?”

He watched his husband look up at the ceiling, mouth something at it, then throw his hands up as if that would explain what he meant to Billy.  “Look, B!  You should just go, okay? One of us has to be here to watch her.”

His stance never faltered.  “Then you stay and I’ll go.”

Billy’s temper flared a bit when Teddy shook his head quickly and started to move towards the door.  “No, no.  It has to be you.”  Shit!  His Mexican stand-off hip move wouldn’t work if Teddy actually walked away!  Billy growled and quickly followed after his husband, frustrated that Teddy had messed up his arguing groove and annoyed because Teddy was dancing around what he really wanted to say.

“Why?!  Why does it _have_ to be me?!”  He had to jump back when Teddy quickly rounded on him, backing up against the small shoe cubby in the foyer.

“Because!  I already love her!”

Surprise and annoyance quickly went out the window as anger started to boil in his stomach, causing Billy to react without thinking, which he normally did, and say the first thing on his mind.  “I already told you I didn’t want it!  The only reason I’m doing _any_ of this is because I love you and want you to be happy!”  He was yelling now, his hands balling up into fists and trying his best to keep his magic out of it.

Sadly, his husband wasn’t one to back down from a fight either.  “You said you would _try_ , Bill!   _TRY_!  You barely go near her!  You won’t touch the egg, won’t hold it—hell, you won’t even talk to her!”

“This is so stupid!  It’s an egg!  It can’t hear or feel any of those things!”

When you could see red on Teddy’s face that meant he was mad.  When you could see red mixing with green meant he was livid, and Billy could see a healthy flush of green start to creep up his husband’s neck but he was so close to proving his point!

“What if it’s some kind of awful demon creature inside that thing?!  What if it’s just fooling Stephen’s magic and Tony’s tech and it’s really just waiting to come out and destroy us?!”

“She’s not!”

He knew it wasn’t, but he knew what would hurt Teddy.

“What if it ends up taking after both its paternal great grandfathers and wants to kill all non-mutant humans?!  Oh wait!  Your grandpa wanted to kill _all_ humans, isn’t that right?!”

“SHUT UP!”

Teddy looked like he was ready to hit him.

Teddy should have hit him.

Billy wished Teddy would hit him.

He felt like an ass the instant he saw tears well up in those huge blue eyes and run down a scaly green cheek.  “Ted—” He didn’t even get the name out before Teddy ripped the door open and slammed it shut, causing the house to shake slightly.  He heard the motion of leather wings and knew Teddy had taken off into the air.

Billy pressed the heels of his palms against his eyes to stop the burning he felt.  “Shit.”

 

 

 

* * *

4:06pm **B:** T, I’m sorry.  Okay?  I shouldn’t have said what I did. I was being a huge ass and I went over the line and I’m so sorry.

4:26pm **B:** Teddy, please. I’m sorry.

5:15pm **B:** At least let me know you weren’t kidnapped or abducted.

5:16pm **T:** Not abducted or kidnapped. Leave me alone.

 

 

 

* * *

Billy groaned and threw his phone down on the bed, turning to glare at the egg that sat on the night stand.  “This is all your fault.”  He grumbled; he knew the child inside had nothing to do with the awful things he said to his husband, but it felt good to shift some of the blame.

Billy cursed and ran his fingers through his hair, causing the already unruly black hair to become a downright mess as he paced back and forth in front of the bed.  Teddy obviously wouldn’t leave him here, because even though he had flown off Teddy had taken the keys with him . Which would leave Billy stranded here, and no matter how mad Teddy was he knew his husband could never be that mean.

Teddy would be back.  Billy could at least count on that, and when he did come back Billy would grovel and beg like no tomorrow, but for now he had to wait., and that was the worst part.

“I’m going to take a shower,” he announced to no one, unless he counted the egg, which he certainly did not.  He glanced back over at the unmoving hard ball and frowned.  How could Teddy want him to bond with it?  It couldn’t do anything.  He felt bad that he didn’t feel attached to it, but on the other hand he didn’t understand how Teddy could fawn over and love something that hadn’t even been born yet.

Ugh, Teddy.  His beautiful, wonderful, kind and amazing husband.

Feeling like the biggest ass in the world, Billy grabbed one of the overly fluffy towels from the linen closet in the hallway and stormed into the large bathroom, shutting the door because hell if he was going to be naked in front of the egg… even if it had no eyes.

He was an idiot.

He started up the shower, quickly jumping out of the way as the two high pressure showerheads spurted out cold water.  He let the water warm while he pulled off his shirt and undid his pants, quickly hopping out of them and his boxers before turning to look in the full length mirror near the giant Jacuzzi.

Staring back at him was a reflection that nine years ago he would have never believed to be him.  He was taller, bigger and hairier.  His face had lost every trace of baby fat in his face, and his jaw had squared off in what Teddy said was hottest thing ever.  His shoulders were broader and his arms, while still wiry, were very cut thanks to his husband’s insistence on training with the team physically and when he turned to the side he had to blush.

Okay.  Yeah, there was a reason everyone gushed about his legs and backside.

He still couldn’t live down the forum Teddy had found dedicated to his ass and thighs, and he had to hide in the bedroom when he learned that Teddy had joined.

He was no longer Billy Kaplan, skinny, gay, Jewish nerd who didn’t know when to shut his mouth.  He was now Billy Kaplan-Altman, still gay, still, Jewish, and a nerd, but he was a Superhero now, a Husband, and soon a dad.

Billy groaned, opening the door to the shower and stepping under the wonderfully hot water.

He let the water run over his shoulders and down his back, trying to let the heat loosen the tight muscles.  Remembering Teddy’s hurt and angry face made his stomach knot harshly, so he tried to think of something else, anything that would make him stop feeling sick and awful.  DC?  Ick!  No.  The funny cat video of those kittens yelling for food?  Okay, that was alright.

The old Will Ferrell Harry Caray sketches that Teddy loved to imitate?

That brought a smile to Billy’s face, thinking about Teddy in those huge coke bottle frames managing to pull the look off even as he shook and stuttered just like the old Chicago baseball announcer.  “Would ya eat the moon if it was made of spare ribs?”  He muttered softly as he turned his face up to meet the spray, chuckling softly remembering how Teddy referred to Jeff Goldblum as the second hottest Jew in the world.

He was about to reach for the body wash when he felt something in the back of his mind stir, something that made him go still as he waited to see if it was just his imagination.  Then it happened again and he quickly shut off the water, listening for anything that could mean he had company in the house.

He heard nothing.  But silence, as he had learned over years of fighting and horror movies, didn’t always mean everything was fine.  

He quickly got out and wrapped the towel around his waist, being careful not to slip and fall on the tile floor as he tip toed over to the door.  Billy waited a few more quiet seconds, letting his hand start to glow blue, before he silently placed his hand on the doorknob and turned it slowly, inching the door open so he could peek out.

Nothing.

He saw nothing in the bedroom and pushed the door open wider.  He listened for a few more moments, and frowned when he heard nothing at all.  He quickly sneaked over to the bed, opening his bag and digging out a pair of boxers and quickly shoving his legs through them.  If something was about to attack then he really didn’t want to be caught naked.  Billy crouched down beside the bed and started to whisper a spell, making sure to keep his voice low.

He cast a perimeter scan and frowned when nothing came up but him and the egg.  “Weird…”  He stood up.  Were they cloaking themselves or was he just imaging it?  Besides, who would know to come look for Mr. Marvel and Wiccan here?  They only told the team, Tony, and Carol.  Well, tem and Billy’s family, but he really doubted Aaron and Jacob would hang out with super villains.

“Ugh…  Maybe I’m just too stressed.”  He muttered and pulled out his favorite pair of worn blue jeans, sliding them on and moving to get a shirt when he felt it again.  It was soft, almost like a tickle in the back of his mind.

It _was_ magic.

But the only ones within three hundred feet of the house were he and… the egg.

Billy’s breath caught, and he glanced towards the innocent-looking shell warily.

Could it…?

Billy took a deep breath and let it out slowly as he moved towards the egg, watching for anything that could show that this egg was in fact the one using magic to get Billy’s attention.  When he finally stood in front of it, he waited for what seemed like an hour before reaching out to lay a hand on the rough, warm shell, and Billy let out a yelp when he felt warmth shoot through his arm at the contact.

He pulled his hand back quickly and gaped at the egg.  “Are you fucking serious…?”  He whispered, and hesitated before he placed his hand back on the egg, feeling the same warmth move through his hand and arm and working its way through his body the longer he kept it there.

Why hadn’t this happened when he’d carried it inside?

Billy blinked, and then he remembered that he had never actually touched the egg before; when he had carried it inside he had used the blanket as insulation.  Is this what Teddy felt when he held it, or did it only do this to him?  “D-Do…Do you know who I am?”  He asked carefully, half expecting the egg to answer, but it simply continued to warm him just through touch.

Okay, he felt stupid already.  But he had to do it just to see.

He lifted his hand from the egg, his body growing cold again in the October chill, and let that hand light up blue.  He took a steadying breath and placed the hand on the shell, warmth spilling into his body again as he closed his eyes, and he started to mutter the spell that he barely ever used since Teddy had deemed it cheating.  “What are you thinking?  If you can even think coherently yet.”

The egg started to glow a soft blue, the warmth almost making Billy’s toes curl as his magic merged with that of the child inside the shell and then what he felt made him gasp.  It wasn’t words or thoughts that he heard, and it wasn’t awful plans to destroy the world or demon hissing.

It was simple feelings.  _Happy and safe._

Billy hadn’t even noticed that he had opened his eyes until he felt wetness slide down his cheeks, and he sniffled slightly.  “S-shit…”  He whispered, letting his magic curl around the egg protectively.  “You’re my daughter, aren’t you?”

He let out a watery chuckle when he felt the tickle in the back of his mind again.

 

 

 

* * *

7:30pm **B:** We’re naming her Sophia, and her middle name is going to be Sarah.  
  
7:34pm **B:** Not taking no for an answer.

 

 

 

* * *

When Teddy landed on the porch, his wings shifting back into his back, he felt uneasy.

It was ten o’clock and the house was quiet.  Billy and he had parted on awful terms, and he was worried the man wouldn’t be inside and that their child would be left alone.  Teddy forced back the sadness and held on to hope, because he had received that one last text message from Billy while Teddy had been busy ripping out old trees in the forest in a blind rage.  Of course, he also went to Home Depot immediately afterward, bought ten new saplings, and planted them where the old ones he’d cruelly destroyed used to be.

But Billy’s message.

Billy wanted to name her, and not just name her.  He wanted to name her after a family member he dearly loved _and_ Teddy’s mother.  It made Teddy choke slightly as he gripped the door handle and pushed it open, greeted by warmth and a smell he knew all too well, Chinese food.

“Bill?”  He called as he unzipped his now trashed windbreaker from his wings, and hung it on the coatrack in the foyer.  He could see lights on in the living room and made his way towards it after he took off his shoes, and placed them neatly together next to Billy’s sneakers that were still where he had thrown them earlier.

“In here, T.”

When Teddy moved in he was shocked at what he found.  Billy sat on the couch playing Wii U—okay, that wasn’t the shocking part.  The shocking part was that right in Billy’s lap was the bundled-up egg.  The blanket was obviously carefully wrapped around the egg so that it kept warm when it was away from its heating lamp.

“B-Billy?”  Teddy stuttered and gaped as Billy paused his game and turned to smile softly at him.  “Hey, Ted.”  He couldn’t believe his eyes as Billy carefully got up, cradling the egg against his chest and moved towards Teddy.  Was this a trick?  Was he in the Twlight Zone?  Because he distinctly remembered leaving the house with a Billy who in no way wanted to bond with the kid, let alone touch it.

Now, here he was—Billy Kaplan-Altman, carrying the egg like he was parent of the year.

Test.  “What’s my favorite color?”

A dark eyebrow raised, but this Billy indulged him.  “Blue, but you always like to say brown too cause it’s my eye color.”  

_Okay.  That was correct, next one.  Something hard!  “What’s my favorite animal?”_

Billy continued to cradle the egg and blew his bangs out from his eyes. “You like every animal.” _A-ha!  Wrong!_  “Except for raccoons, because when you were little one snuck into your tent while your mom and you were camping, ate all your food, and ripped up your stuffed dog.”

 _Damn.  Correct._   “Alright,” Teddy muttered, moving closer to his husband (if it really was him.  Though Teddy honestly didn’t know _who_ it could be.)  “One last question, Mr. Kaplan-Altman… if that is your real name.”  Oh, and that eye roll definitely looked like the signature Kaplan state of sarcasm.  “Why are you suddenly acting like a proud parent when a few hours ago you didn’t want her?”

Billy’s shoulders slumped slightly, but he still held slightly to the egg, looking down at it with a sad soft smile.  “Because I was an utter asshole and I was letting my fears get in the way of everything.”  

Teddy held his breath as Billy continued to look down at the egg before looking up at him.  “And…?  What changed that?”  He dared to ask, which caused Billy’s cheeks to flush and glance away.

“Erm…  I kinda… used the… telepathy spell.”

Teddy eyes widened.  “You read our kid’s mind?!”  He frowned when Billy groaned and shook his head, noticing that Billy’s arms tightened around the egg like he was worried Teddy would take it from him, and that made Teddy oddly thrilled.

“It’s not mind reading if there aren’t any real thoughts there yet.”  Billy tried to justify and bit at his lip, a nervous habit that Teddy loved.  “Plus…she started the whole magic thing.”

 _Hold up.  Stop the train_.  “She what?”

Billy shuffled from one foot to the other.  “Okay, not like full-on magic like me and Wanda.”  He said, which honestly, Teddy was really relieved to hear.  Not that he would trade her back if she did, but that could be very hard to deal with later on if she had that much power while still in the shell.

“But?”  He pressed and Billy did a weird nervous wiggle.

“But…  I was able to feel her magic.”  Teddy must have made a confused face because Billy started to ramble.  “Like okay.  You know how Cerebro is able to detect mutants?  It’s kinda like that, except it’s magic and it’s not like she was just having powers busting from the shell!  She wasn’t using it!  I only mean I was able to feel her presence and stuff like… ugh, I’m not explaining this right.”

Teddy watched Billy grasp for a way to make Teddy understand what he meant, to make sure Teddy wasn’t freaked out or scared, but Teddy already knew how to handle adorable newbie mages.

He cupped Billy’s jaw, stopping the man from spewing anymore words.  “Billy?”

He looked up at him with worry and Teddy smiled.  

“Please stop talking.”  He pressed his lips against Billy’s and loved how he felt his husband’s body go lax.  He continued the kiss until Billy lost all tension and pulled closer to him, as close as he could with an egg in between them.

Teddy pulled back and traced Billy’s lower lip with his thumb.  “So, if she doesn’t have any understandable thoughts, what did you read that changed your mind?”  He asked softly, loving the smile that tugged at Billy’s lips.  He felt Billy push the egg gently against his stomach through his shirt and smiled when Billy actually started to tear up a bit.  

“She’s happy, T.  She’s happy and she feels safe with us.  That’s what I felt.”

Teddy couldn’t help the happy laugh that escaped his mouth and he quickly moved back in for another passionate kiss, causing his husband to squawk but kiss back with enthusiasm.  When they both pulled back for air Teddy laughed again, taking the egg from Billy, albeit with a little coaxing.  “Okay, but from now on, no more reading our daughter’s mind unless it’s like life or death, alright?”

Billy pursed his lips.  “What if she has a secret boyfriend we need to find out about?”

Teddy chuckled as he laid the egg, no, as he laid Sophia down on the couch, making sure her fuzzy blanket was wrapped around her tightly.  “If she has a secret boyfriend we will find out how every other parents does, and then if he hurts her we’ll beat him within an inch of his life.  You know, like normal Dads.”

Billy snorted and they both laughed.

“You got Chinese food?”

Billy looked sheepish. “Yeah…  I called Yen Ching’s and then teleported there to pick it up.  But don’t worry!”  Billy exclaimed at Teddy’s raised eyebrow.  “I was only gone for three minutes!  That’s shorter than going to the bathroom!”

Teddy laughed.  “You need some more fiber in your diet, B.”

“Okay, whatever Mr. Speed Pooper.”

“Oh my god.  Shut up.  You are ruining any chances of you getting any with that kind of talk.”  Teddy could actually hear the clack Billy’s teeth made as he clamped his mouth shut and that made Teddy think he had the most adorable husband in the world.  He moved over and took a hold of Billy’s shirt, tugging on it softly.  “So, you wanna?”

“Do you even have to ask?”

Teddy smiled as he pressed a kiss to Billy’s lips softly, causing the mage’s eye to flutter closed and reach up on his toes to press his mouth fully against his husband’s.  Teddy felt warmth fill him as Billy’s body fit snugly against his, like two puzzle pieces, perfect and made for each other.  His lips quirked up slightly when he felt Billy wrap his arms around Teddy’s neck, and surprised Billy by snaking his tongue into the brunette’s mouth.

The pleased hum that Billy let out went right to his dick.

With effort, Teddy pulled away and reached down to slid his fingers under his husband’s shirt, causing Billy to shudder, which made the shapeshifter almost forget what he was about to say.  “We should move to the bedroom.”  He stated dumbly, swallowing when Billy looked up at him through dark lashes.

“Or you could easily hold me against the wall… and…” The blush on Billy’s cheeks was unfair.

Teddy growled softly, took a handful of black hair from the back of Billy’s head and pulled his head back, pushing his mouth against his husband’s almost roughly which, years ago, he’d come to find out Billy loved rough just as much as he loved gentle.  At Billy’s quiet muffled groan Teddy slipped his tongue inside, wrapping it around his husband’s and sucked, causing Billy to scramble for something to hold onto, one hand going for Teddy’s sweatshirt while the other went—Oh.

Teddy had to break the kiss, both panting softly; he gazed down at the smug expression on Billy’s face as his husband rubbed his palm over the bulge in Teddy’s jeans again.  “Is that a lightsaber in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?”

Well.  Frick-frack-a-lack.

That decided it.

“That was the worst.”  Was all the warning he gave Billy before he wrapped his arms around the man’s waist and heaved him up and over his shoulder, ignoring Billy’s loud squawk and laughter.  

“Teddy!”  Billy cried and he held tight to Teddy’s sweatshirt as the man bolted up the stairs, loving the way Billy wiggled his hips against his shoulder and bit his back through his shirt.

“Don’t bite me!”

“I can’t help it! I’m a man-eater.”

“Oh okay, Nelly.”  Teddy almost broke the bedroom door off its hinges as he moved in and tossed his husband on the neatly made bed, Billy laughing his ass off the whole time.

God, he loved this guy.

He laughed while Billy made a high pitched sigh, signaling that his giggles were slowly ending before he stretched like a cat on the bed causing his shirt to ride up and show Teddy that amazing patch of dark curly hair that disappeared down Billy’s jeans.  “Well, T?  Are you just going to stand there?”

“Fuck, Billy…”

He didn’t need to be asked twice as he climbed up onto the bed, sliding up so he could press his mouth hungrily against Billy’s, groaning when Billy took two handfuls of his backside and squeezed.  Heat pulsed throughout his body as he felt Billy’s hips arch up and rub against his, Billy’s erection clear even through the layers of both their clothes.

“T,” Billy whispered, a heavy sigh on his lips as he pulled back and brought his hips right back up, causing Teddy to hiss and pull away from his husband’s mouth with a slick pop.  “You are wearing way too many clothes.”  He panted and groaned when Billy quickly started unbuttoning his jeans, stroking Teddy through his boxers.

“So are you,” Billy shot back, and let out a soft cry when Teddy reached out to rub him through his jeans.

Teddy made quick work of Billy’s pants, manhandling as gently as he could in his need to get Billy bare, which he noticed what caused his husband to become even more aroused.  He grinned as he pulled Billy’s shirt up and over his head, moving to press quick nips and kisses along his husband’s pale, broad shoulders and neck.  “You like it when I use my strength, don’t you?”

“Nnn!  Who wouldn’t, ass?   You’re a gay guy’s wet dream and you can bench press a house.”  

Teddy chuckled and nipped at Billy’s stomach enough to leave a bright red mark against that pale skin, right where the dark hair started.  “God Billy…  You’re so hot.”

Beautiful was a more accurate word.

Billy sent him a tight smile before his eyes widened and his pupils expanded when Teddy took the hem of his boxers in his teeth and started to pull down.  The noise Billy let out made Teddy’s hips jerk and he purposely let his nose drag over Billy’s length as he went down, loving the gasp that Billy made.  Carefully maneuvering Billy’s legs so he could pull the boxers off those long, toned legs, Teddy threw the red plaid piece of fabric over his shoulder and grinned up at his husband, past his perfect cock.

Billy was already a mess.

Laying back against the giant red pillows and comforter, pale skin and dark hair—a perfect contrast with the red, his cock hard and curved, leaking onto his stomach.  It didn’t help Teddy’s urge to just fuck Billy senseless when his husband lowered his lashes, bit his bottom lip and spread his legs further.  

“Teddy, please.”

_Well, fuck._

He gripped Billy’s hips tightly, which cause Billy to let out a yelp, but Teddy quickly confirmed it was from excitement when Billy pushed his hips forward instead of telling him to quit or ease up.  Teddy knelt in between the mage’s legs and softly kissed each knee, letting his hands start to slide up Billy’s raised thighs, loving how his husband’s eyes became wild when one of his hands slid back down and brushed against his cock.

“Y-you’re being a fucking tease!”

Teddy grinned and slid more onto his stomach, propping himself up on his elbows right between Billy’s spread legs.  “Nah, just enjoying the view.”  He quipped and gave Billy’s left inner thigh a rather obscene and wet kiss that made Billy cry out loudly.  He continued to mark the inside of Billy’s thighs until they were a mess of purple and red marks, and his husband lay panting heavily.

Teddy hummed softly at Billy’s soft pleas as he leaned down to nose at Billy’s shaved balls, loving the whine that came from his husband’s mouth, and when he pulled one into his mouth to suck gently he felt strong fingers grip his hair.  “T-Teddy…”  Billy gasped, and damn if it wasn’t the hottest thing in the world for Teddy to hear those cries and taste him, flicking his tongue over the one in his mouth.

He was trying his best not to rub himself off on the comforter, but it was proving _very_ hard when Billy kept gasping and arching his hips like that, especially since they hadn’t exactly had a lot of time to do things like this since the past two weeks had been nothing but egg care and worry.  Hell, if Billy gave him another one of those wild looks and moaned out his name again Teddy was pretty sure he wouldn’t even need the friction.

Teddy blinked when those fingers in his hair pulled his face away from Billy’s balls, and pulled so that his head tilted back far enough where he could look Billy right in the eye.  The image Billy gave him made heat explode inside his gut and he had to bite back a small groan: his husband lay there panting, flushed, legs spread, cock hard and leaking, black hair wild and lips red and swollen from kisses.  But what got Teddy most was the glare Billy gave him that was filled with frustration, lust and passion.

“If you don’t fucking suck me off now, I will pin you down and fuck those gorgeous-ass thighs of yours.”  Billy’s voice was wonderfully hoarse and husky.  “Do you hear me?”  

Teddy was married to the sexiest man alive.

“Loud and clear, Boss.”  And with that Teddy moved against the fingers in his hair and took Billy’s length in one perfect practiced gulp, shuddering when Billy’s nails dug into his scalp.

He really had forgotten how much he loved sucking Billy off.

The stretch of his lips around the heavy member, the weight against his tongue, the ache in his jaw, how if he rolled his tongue just right around the tip Billy went nuts.  Luckily he remembered to press down on Billy’s hips so he wasn’t choked when Billy pushed up and cursed.

He didn’t remember when exactly he had started rubbing against the comforter, but it wasn’t until he let out a rather loud moan around Billy’s member did he realize he was probably going to come without even being touched.

But when Billy groaned and his fingers tugged on his hair, Teddy couldn’t find a single thing wrong with that as long as Billy kept this up.  He pulled up for air for a moment, one of his free hands moving in to stroke Billy roughly, and when his cries became too loud and quickly Teddy eased off, grinning when he received a glare for it.

He stuck two of his fingers from his other hand into his mouth, making a show of getting them wet and slick even though his cheeks burned at the thought of his looking ridiculous.  Billy must not have thought so because he gulped heavily, a few moans escaping every now and then as Teddy hands started its pace back up again.

“W-what are you doing?”

Teddy just raised an eyebrow as he slipped the fingers from his mouth, soaking , warm, and perfect, and leaned his mouth back down, taking Billy in easily.  Billy groaned but kept his eyes on Teddy and watched transfixed as Teddy moved those slick digits back behind himself.  Billy’s eyes widened, his red lips falling open, their eyes locked as Teddy circled his own hole before slipping the tip of one finger inside.

He gasped softly around Billy’s cock, the burn combined with rubbing against the rough comforter made his blood boil and his gut spasm, causing his cock to jerk and leak heavily.

“Oh god!  Teddy!”  Billy crowed, fingers in Teddy’s hair tightening while slim hips tried their best to fuck his mouth.  “Shiiiit!”  Billy gasped as Teddy finally broke eye contact and started to bob his head while he slipped more of the finger inside himself.  “W-Who gave y-you the right!  That is so amazingly hot…”

Teddy moaned, the vibrations shooting up Billy’s cock and seemingly up his spine as well with how his back straightened sharply before he relaxed before Teddy started sucking on the tip causing him to start whimpering and chanting Teddy’s name.

Billy was close.

Teddy was right there, and if he just stretched his finger a bit further...

Teddy’s eyes widened when he felt something like an electric shock rock through his body, almost making him choke on Billy’s cock as he let out the loudest moan.  When he looked up he noticed electric blue sparking around them and he couldn’t help but let the image of Billy’s magic around them push him the rest of the way.

He let his finger continue to push in that perfect angle causing him to gasp and moan while he took a few more hard sucks at Billy’s tip before swallowing the entire length.

He vaguely heard Billy scream his name and felt the salty, thick taste of Billy’s seed shooting down his throat as he did his best to swallow all of it, some of it spilling out and down his chin and that’s what he needed.  One last hard grind against the bed and twist of his finger Teddy was coming, his groan chocked off by his husband’s softening member.

Teddy lifted up, Billy’s limp cock sliding out of his mouth as he pulled his finger out of him with a shudder.  His body was shaky and still humming from the pleasure as he stood up and looked for a towel to mop up the mess he’d made on the comforter.  “Shit…  We’ll have to dry clean that.”  Billy only groaned and rolled on his side to watch Teddy grab the wet towel he had used for his quick shower earlier.

Teddy ignored how hard his husband started to laugh when he tried to get as much of the cum off the comforter as he could, but it still left an obvious wet stain that would no doubt turn cloudy when it dried.  “Ugh…that’s going to be embarrassing to explain.  Shut up, Billy!”

“Never!”  Billy yelled as he got up and went down stairs in the nude.  “I’m getting Sophia!”

“Put some clothes on at least!”  Teddy just rolled his eyes when Billy sang ‘No’ to him from downstairs.  By the time Billy came back up, with Sophia in his arms, Teddy had cleaned it the best he could.  He wasn’t happy with the results but it would have to do and he watched as Billy carefully put egg-Sophia on her pillow, right under the lamp so she would stay warm during the cold night.

Teddy smiled, capturing Billy’s wrist and tugging until Billy climbed into bed with him.  “I don’t have any clothes on, T.  I’ll get hypothermia.”  He couldn’t even believe Billy said that with a straight face, and he just rolled his eyes and pulled his husband against his equally naked body as he pulled the covers over them.  “Okay, Drama King.  In that case I’ll make sure to keep you glued to my side so your delicate body doesn’t freeze to death in the awful fifty-three degree weather.”

“I _could_ freeze to death in that temperature.  You just watch me.”

“You would just to spite me.”

“Believe it.”

“Go to sleep, Narutard.”

 

 

 

* * *

_He watched Teddy fall._

_Wings broken, uniform torn and stained with blood._

_He runs to catch him, but he’s miles away._

_By the time he reaches his husband, Teddy’s body is cold._

_He hears a child scream and turns to see the body of a small girl lying limp on the floor._

_Her neck isn’t bending the right way as her black curls spill over her lifeless face._

_Soph-_

Billy sat up in bed panting, his body covered in cold sweat.

He could still fell the sheer terror of watching Teddy fall, watching him hit the ground.  He remembered vividly how pale, how still, and how _dead_ Teddy looked laying there, crumpled and broken.  Billy quickly rolled over, hand blindly searching in the dark until he felt the warm skin of Teddy’s back and the fact that Teddy’s body was warm made Billy feel instant relief.  “Oh thank god,” he whispered, moving so he could spoon Teddy’s sleeping form from behind, and no one could blame him if he snaked his arms around Teddy’s waist and pressed two fingers against one of those massive wrists.

_Thud.  Thud._

Billy had never found a pulse more reassuring and relaxing in his life.  Nuzzling his nose into the nape of Teddy’s neck, Billy found himself slowly falling back asleep as he listened and felt his husband breath in and out.

He was about to drift back off when he heard the softest cracking sound and the back of his mind tickled.  He sat right back up, ignoring the way Teddy muttered grumpily as he listened again.  It was about another ten minutes of silence before he heard it again and Billy was up out of bed, forgetting he had nothing on, moving over to the small heating lap and Sophia.

Billy’s eyes widened when he saw a good three inch, splintered crack along the top of the egg.

“Holy shit!  Teddy, get up!”

Only after years of training was Teddy able to bolt up and go into battle mode in a matter of seconds, easily moving into a tight protective stance with his elbows tight at his sides and fists in the air.  Billy would have found that so extremely hot if he wasn’t busy freaking out, and he waved his hand at his husband like they weren’t the only ones in the same room.  When his husband’s blue eyes scanned the area and noticed no danger did he look over at Billy and frown, Teddy’s eyes widened when he noticed where Billy was.

“Are you serious?!”

Billy heard Teddy scramble over as he turned back to the egg, while he started panicking he could hear Teddy talking on the phone to someone.  “No!  I mean, it’s literally starting to crack!”  He could hear Teddy pacing back and forth over the soft carpet.  “I can’t calm down!  My _kid_ is hatching out of an egg!”  He was quiet for a minute, and then Billy yelped and backed away when the egg gave a little jerk.

“Yes, Yes.  Thank you, Doctor Strange.  We will wait for you here.”  Teddy hung up and tosses the phone on the bed, before joining Billy back near their egg.  They both watched in silence before it gave another little jerk and they both acted like it was the most amazing thing they had ever seen.

“Oh my god!  T, it’s hatching!  What do we do?!”  Billy asked, not sure if he should touch it and help his daughter or if that would, later in life, hurt her in some weird way.  Was he even able to touch her once she was out?   “Teddy!  What do we do?!”

“I-I don’t know!  Strange said just watch out until he came!”

“What the hell does that mean?!”

“I don’t know!  Health class didn’t exactly cover skrull birth!”

They ended up freaking out over the egg for ten more minutes before finally realizing they were in fact still naked and the Sorcerer Supreme was going to be over any second.  After scrambling for clothes, Teddy trying to squeeze into Billy’s jeans and Billy swimming in Teddy’s old basketball t-shirt, they were clothed and greeting not only Stephen, but also Carol Danvers, and Hank McCoy.

“O-oh.  Hi everyone…?”  Billy asked and frowned when his teacher made his way in, forcing him and his husband to take a step back while Stephen took off his cloak.  God, who wore a cloak to a birthing… or a hatching for that matter?  God, Billy didn’t know!  He rolled his eyes when Teddy politely took the cloak and hung it on the coat rack.

“Do not worry, William.  Your family will be here as quickly as they can manage.”

“Wait—what?!”  Billy gaped as Stephen calmly made his way into the living room.  “My family is coming?  Why?”  He was surprised when Carol answered, slinging an arm around Teddy’s wide shoulders and giving him a kiss on the cheek, causing Teddy to turn a wonderful  shade of pink.  “Well, because a new member of our family is coming!  I couldn’t miss my favorite nephew’s kid being hatched.”

Teddy just about died, he was so happy.

Doctor McCoy smiled as he placed a large furry hand on the small of Billy’s back.  “Where exactly is the hatchling, William?  I would like to see the progress of the hatching and maybe take a few notes if that is alright with you.”  Billy glanced at his husband who just shrugged slightly.  “I-I guess.  That sound fine.”

“Ah, Doctor Richards also wanted to set up a camera to catch the hatching on video.”  Stephen commented and glanced around.  “I need a glass of water.”

“Erm—wait,” Teddy said, but was quickly ignored as the doorbell rang again.

After three hours of answering the doorbell, ordering sandwiches, telling about forty different scientists that they were not allowed to take their daughter for testing of any sort, Billy and Teddy finally found themselves back in the bedroom.  With sixty-eight or so friends and family down stairs, Billy and Teddy had moved back upstairs with Doctor McCoy and Stephen, all of whom were surprised to see, when they got up there, that she had been able to remove at least a little bit of her shell from the top.  “Amazing,” Doctor McCoy breathed, “even though she is not full skrull, she is strong enough to start the hatching process.”

Teddy frowned slightly.  “Was there worry that she wouldn’t?”

Stephen remained silent as he placed an old black leather medical bag on the bed, pulling out various things, which Billy found oddly normal—a bowl, a white washcloth, tweezers, cotton swabs, and gloves.  “What, no eye of newt or wing of bat?”  Billy received one finely plucked, raised eyebrow before Strange went back to preparing.

When he was finished he handed a pair of gloves to everyone, except Hank, and instructed them to put them on, and then handed them the bowl and washcloth, telling them to fill it with warm water.  This was probably the only time where they did as they were told without question, and when they brought the bowl back Stephen pulled Billy to the side.  “William, I need you to cast a warming charm on the egg.  She needs to remain warm while we do the procedure.”

Billy and Teddy exchanged glances before Billy raised his hand and started to chant quietly, electric blue spilling from his fingertips and moving to wrap around the egg.  

“Good, now keep that up, William.  Theodore, I will need you to continue holding that bowl and assist me with the wash cloth.”  Strange cast a low-grade warming spell on the bowl of water in his hands, and Teddy watched as he went to work on the egg with the tweezers.

It took two more agonizing hours as Stephen gently chipped away at the shell, making sure that the membrane underneath wasn’t punctured unless the child within had punctured it herself.  Teddy continued to help, making sure to keep the exposed membrane moist and warm until Stephen had chipped an entire circle around.

Stephen took a step back and sighed, twisting his neck back and forth in order to stretch it.  “Now, since she is not full Skrull, and not even half, we will have to do this quickly so that we can get her air ways going and off the support inside.”  

Teddy exchanged a worried look with Billy.

“Hank, I will need you to peel back the membrane enough to where I can stick my hands in and pull her out.  Billy, you can let the charm wear off now.  Come, be with your husband for your child’s birth.”

Billy did as he was told and moved over towards his husband, holding Teddy’s sleeve in a death grip.  “You alright?”  He asked, and Teddy nodded, not taking his eyes off the egg.  “Yeah,” Billy muttered.  “Yeah, me too.”

Hank moved forward and used a sharp claw to pull the membrane loose carefully, and everyone held their breath as the side of the egg instantly crumpled.  It was never more obvious that Stephen Strange was an actual doctor as he quickly moved his gloved hands inside the hole, and with such speed that only came with practice he pulled out the most beautiful thing Billy had ever seen.

“Teddy,” Billy said, reaching back blindly, and Teddy was there the way he always was, threading their fingers together, squeezing back as Doctor Strange carefully lifted  _their baby_  from the fractured shell.  “Oh my  _God_ , Teddy.”

Teddy pressed his lips just below Billy’s ear.  “Yeah,” he said, adding quietly, “Tell me she got that  _hair_  from you.”

Billy felt like he was floating as he watched Stephen and Hank wipe her down with another damp wash cloth, using that weird balloon sucker to suck all the fluid from her nose then propping her tiny mouth  open and sticking it in her mouth.

And that’s when it happened.

It was quiet and soft, but everyone in the room heard it.  Her first cry.

Billy could tell that the scream was a good thing, due to Stephen and Hank relaxing afterward.

“Good, she’s breathing.”  Hank laughed and helped Stephen wrap her in a blanket after adding ointment to her eyes.  Stephen handed her to Hank who then, beaming with a mouth full of sharp teeth, turned to the two of them.  “Theodore and William Kaplan-Altman, I present to you your beautiful, healthy baby girl.”

Billy immediately reached out, making sure to cradle her head just right in the crook of his elbow.  His heart was hammering out of his chest as he gazed down at her tiny red face, watched as she screwed her nose and mouth up and let out another tiny quiet cry.  “God… she’s beautiful.”

Teddy was right behind him, reaching over to run a gentle hand along her messy patch of black curls.  He could tell Teddy was tearing up because he felt his husband press a kiss to his neck and sniffle loudly.  “She’s perfect, B.”

“She is,” he whispered, and felt the sting of fresh tears as she opened up her eyes slightly.  They were a deep shade of blue.

Oh god.  He hoped they stayed blue—Teddy’s blue.

“Hi, sweetie.”  He hated how choked his laugh sounded when her tiny little nose delicately sniffed at his voice, and his heart ached at how wonderfully big Teddy’s hand was compared to her head as he stroked her cheek.  “So, that’s what you really want to name her?”  Teddy asked quietly.  

Billy nodded, and the smile on his face was so wide it made his cheeks ache.  “Of course, T.”  Billy shifted so that his pinkie could trace her small lips.  “Welcome home, Sophia.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Good lord this took way to long.
> 
> A HUGE thank you goes to my wonderful betas and editors Bosmerheck, Tinyparlancer and Thequadricycle. You guys are amazing and I love you!
> 
> Enjoy.

 

 

Teddy was exhausted.

 After three months of interrupted sleep, dozens of late night feedings, fending off Doom bots, fighting hazardous radioactive goo, cleaning up even more hazardous diapers, and having no physical contact with his husband except for the rare kiss goodbye or goodnight, it was no wonder he was feeling less than great lately. He let out a large yawn and received a sharp jab in the side for it.

“Ow,” He whined softly, even though it didn’t really hurt, and rubbed the area through his dress shirt. He frowned and glanced over at the serious brunet beside him, hating that Billy could still make his heart pound even with dark bags under his eyes and the untrimmed beard that he had started growing out.

“Don’t yawn. We are in a church.” Billy whispered quietly, shifting his arms so Sophia’s head rested in the crook of his elbow instead of on his bicep.  Dark eyes glanced over at him for a moment before quickly going back to the Reverend. Teddy smiled and reached over, brushing his fingers over Sophia’s new, little white shoes and the ridiculous amounts of lace on her christening gown before letting them trail over Billy’s hand. “I really don’t think God will care. He didn’t when I was little and played Gameboy during service.”

When he saw the twitch of Billy’s lips, Teddy felt warm for making his husband have to try not to smile. He shifted in his seat as he moved his arm to lay it across Billy’s shoulders. The jacket he was wearing made it hard to get comfortable. They both tensed when Sophia shifted, her sleeping face screwing up in unhappiness, but she settled back down and remained asleep. Teddy could feel Billy’s quiet sigh of relief. He grinned, resting his head against the mess of dark hair on top of his husband’s head. “Thank you for this, again.”

They had both agreed they would raise Sophia in an open-religion household, and that when she became old enough she would be able to choose for herself whatever she wished to follow, if she even wanted to follow anything. Not that Teddy was an avid churchgoer, but his mom had taken him to service when he was little and as he got older they continued to go for special days and holidays, so church held a weird, special place in his heart. After he had found out about his actual heritage, he had wondered how she even knew to go to church. Maybe she read somewhere that it was the normal thing to do? She sure took to it well though. She went above and beyond with the bake sales and teaching Sunday school, just like every other mom he knew—except she was way cooler, and let all the kids use markers when they were only supposed to use crayons.

He felt Billy turn his head and plant a soft kiss on his jaw before turning back to the front. “You don’t have to thank me. She’s yours too.” He watched Billy fiddle with the lace on the hem of Sophia’s gown. “What kind of husband and dad would I be if I completely ignored what was important to you?” Billy whispered, causing Teddy’s heart to swell with love.

“But she’s still having a Bat Mitzvah.”

Teddy grinned. “Well, duh. That way she can be loaded without us giving her allowance.” He watched Billy bite his lip with a smile.

“Not if she’s like me, she won’t. Within a year I spent all my Bar Mitzvah money on comics and games. My parents were so disappointed.” Teddy blushed at the loud snort that came out of his nose. A few of their guests glanced in their direction and he mouthed apologies, but couldn’t stop the smile on his face when Billy smirked. Reverend Julian asked them to please step forward; Teddy quickly stood up and waited for Billy, who moved Sophia so her head was resting on his shoulder before standing up as well. He let Billy go before him, making sure to grab the diaper bag before making his way up to the font.

Teddy and Billy watched as Kate and Tommy moved to join them, and even though they both made it seem like no big deal, Teddy could tell they were both very flattered and pleased to be named Sophia’s godparents. It was a good choice, even if it meant having to listen to Tommy quote the movie over and over and watch him stroke his daughter’s head like Marlon Brandon did with the cat.

Reverend Julian instructed Billy to hold Sophia out while supporting her head and her back, which caused their daughter to wake up. It was times like this he wished that she wasn’t like Billy, because immediately after opening her eyes, her dark eyebrows furrowed and she let out a scream. Yep, definitely Billy’s child, crabby and cranky after waking up. The distinct chuckles and laughs of Carol, Tony, and Billy’s brothers could be heard.

Sophia let out another cry and started to kick her legs furiously, causing Billy to scramble to keep hold of her while Teddy quickly went in search of her little Iron Man pacifier in the diaper bag. He pulled it out and moved it into Sophia’s mouth, sighing in relief when the little princess went from angry to only irritated as she started to suck. He chuckled when Billy rolled his eyes at their daughter’s antics, and looked back at Reverend Julian to signal that it was now okay to continue.

The ceremony went quicker than he thought it would, for which Teddy could not be any more thankful. He watched Reverend Julian cup the holy water and let it run through Sophia’s dark curls, causing her to glance lazily at Billy before making a face.

“I baptize you, Sophia Sarah, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”

Sophia smiled as Billy lifted her up carefully and kissed her forehead, letting her tiny hands fist in his suit jacket as he rested her against his shoulder, and Teddy felt an unexpected swell of emotions as he watched. Her blue eyes studied him from over Billy’s shoulder as she cooed happily around her pacifier, and when she reached out and grasped his finger as he reached over to play with a stray curl, holding onto him with a strength that was a little too firm for a three month old, he nearly choked. That was his girl.

Afterwards, Teddy and Billy were both so tired that they barely ate at the lunch Carol had set up for everyone, and when they got home they both collapsed on their bed as soon as Sophia was down for her second nap.

Teddy groaned when Billy nudged him with his knee, and he flopped over to give his husband more room. “I can’t believe after four weeks of planning, it’s finally over.” He groaned. His jacket was uncomfortable, but not so much that he’d actually bothered to remove it. He cracked an eye open and watched as Billy squirmed out of his own jacket, tugging at his tie and unbuttoning his shirt.

 _Oh_.

Teddy tried to ignore the shot of lust that went through him as he watched Billy half-heartedly undress before collapsing face first on the pillow, a loud groan muffled by the foam. Teddy gulped and shifted a little closer to his husband’s slumped form, lying on his side and tangling their legs together while his hand moved to scratch at Billy’s scalp, earning him a moan of appreciation. “Oh, God. That feels amazing…”

Teddy grinned and continued to scratch. “Thanks, but I’d rather go by Teddy.” He laughed when Billy lazily swatted at him, and lifted his head from the pillow, making a face. “If you’re God, then I really need to reevaluate my life.” Teddy hummed in agreement and happily let his husband shuffle closer so that he could wrap his arms around Billy and hold him tight.

Teddy pressed his nose against the mess of dark curls on his husband’s head and took a deep breath, smelling the tea tree oil shampoo and gel in his husband’s hair, also the vague smell of baby powder, and the scent of just Billy. He felt Billy stiffen against his own semi-hard bulge, and he held his husband closer.

“Oh my god. Are you serious?” Billy’s breath was hot against his neck and Teddy squirmed, happy that Billy’s tone was more exasperated than annoyed.

“It’s been three months, B.”

“Liar.” Teddy looked up, and Billy continued, “I gave you a hand job like three weeks ago.” At Teddy’s glare, Billy faltered and glanced to the side. “Or was it a month ago?”

While Billy was questioning himself, Teddy growled and pushed his hips against Billy’s, happy at the gasp and the way Billy hissed out his name in warning. He let his hands slide down Billy’s back and cup his ass through the thin material of his dress slacks, loving the way Billy pushed back against Teddy even though he continued to express how much of a bad idea this was.

“I haven’t even showered today, T.” Billy whined. Teddy was sure that his husband didn’t mean for it to sound as attractive and enticing as it did. “And Soph is going to need a bottle when she wakes up, so I shoul-“ He cut off with a sharp gasp as Teddy started to roll their hips together, Billy’s hands moving to grip the back of Teddy’s jacket tightly.

“What were you saying?” He teased, letting out a soft groan when Billy started to grind against him without help. An embarrassingly loud yelp left his mouth when he felt Billy’s mouth clamp down on his neck and start to suck, a shudder running through him as he felt a teeth on his skin. When Billy pulled back, his pupils were completely blown, and the way he licked his lips made Teddy wish they had given Soph to Rebecca after the ceremony.  

“We should get this jacket off of you…” Billy huffed, already trying to pull it off Teddy’s shoulders. “And the tie, shirt, belt… Hell, you need to just take everything off.”

Teddy was all too happy to comply, and they almost had his shirt entirely off before Billy’s work phone started to ring loudly. Even though he was painfully hard and so was Billy, that didn’t stop them from bolting up and both quickly searching for the source of the loud noise.

“Shit..!” Billy whispered. “Got it! Hello?”

Teddy watched his husband stumble out of bed and into the living room before he lay back on the bed, grabbed a pillow and shoved it onto his face to muffle a frustrated groan. It had been this way ever since Soph had been born. The girl was his world, but it was starting to get on his nerves how he never got to see Billy anymore.

If it wasn’t the Avengers with him, then it was the X-men, sorcerer training, or work for Billy. Now there was a fussy newborn who demanded every waking moment unless she was feeding or sleeping, which left Billy and Teddy two worn out people who barely manage to feed themselves, let alone have special time before they passed out.

He listened to the muffled sound of Billy talking on the phone and sighed softly when he heard the word ‘bye.’ Teddy quickly laid across the bed, doing his best to look inviting and enticing, but his mood fell when he saw Billy’s face. Billy no longer looked tired and excited, he just looked _tired._ Teddy frowned and reached out toward him. “What’s wrong, B? Everything okay?”

Billy huffed softly and flopped onto his back without grace, his head landing close to Teddy’s stomach. “No. I have to go into the hospital tomorrow.” Teddy hummed softly, threading his fingers through Billy’s hair. “This means I have to find someone to take care of Sophia tomorrow until five or take her to the office, which is a joke. Nobody wants a counselor who has a baby attached to their hip.” Billy screwed his eyes shut and let out a frustrated, quiet wail, and Teddy rubbed his head.

“Maybe your mom could take her—or your dad if he’s not at the hospital tomorrow?” He offered, and he blew his bangs out of his face when he saw Billy shake his head, dark brown eyes opening to stare up at the celling.

“That won’t work. My mom has patients and Dad has some big meeting with the Chief of Medicine.”

Teddy tried to rub the frown lines out from between Billy’s brows until his husband smacked his hand away lightly. “No one is able to go instead of you?”

“No one would _want_ to. It’s Mrs. Muller’s daughter again, some emergency because she locked herself in her room and wouldn’t come out or something.” Billy growled, glancing up at Teddy’s face. “I swear, Christine is a teenager. Acting out is natural, you don’t need to have therapy every time the kid refuses to do her homework.”

Teddy sighed and played with a strand of Billy’s dark hair. “How is it we save the world time and time again, but when it comes to finding a babysitter we're helpless?”

Billy suddenly sat up. “Ah!” He flopped over onto his stomach, raising himself up on his elbows as he looked up at Teddy with a large smile. “I got it!” He laughed at Teddy’s shocked expression.

“What?”

“You only have your meeting with the leaders tomorrow right? After that it’s just regular watch and wait?” The gleam in those dark eyes made Teddy uneasy, and he raised an eyebrow as he answered. “Yes…? Why?” Billy leaned up and gave him one of the sweetest kisses he had received in a long time, his new facial hair scraping perfectly against his face. He started to melt when Billy pulled away an inch and pressed a soft kiss to the tip of his nose and then his chin, causing the blond to forget about his unease until Billy leaned up against him and whispered in his ear. “You should take her.”

Teddy paused for a moment to let what Billy was telling him actually sink in before he pulled back to give his husband a level stare. “Are you saying I should bring our daughter to the Avengers headquarters? Where I will be in a room with some of the world’s greatest men and women, talking about serious issues?”

 At that Billy sighed and lay back down on the bed. “If you don’t want to, I won’t force you.”

No fair. Billy was using his sad pouting voice, which always made Teddy feel guilty. Teddy winced dramatically and flicked one of his husband’s ears, receiving a weak outburst and a halfhearted glare for the action. “I’ll do it," he muttered, and at Billy’s happy expression Teddy felt his cheeks heat up, but he looked away quickly. “I’ll take her to the meeting. I mean, half of the people in the meeting are like her aunts and uncles, so I’m sure they won’t mind being able to see her again.”

Teddy smiled when Billy threw his arms around his neck and whisper thanks into his ear. He pulled Billy so they were lying side by side on the bed, and neither could ignore the large yawn that seemed to move through Billy’s entire body and out his mouth. Teddy smiled and tucked his husband closer to his chest, running his hand down Billy’s back in a soothing manner. “Go to sleep.”

“Mmm… Wake me up at three. I need to get Soph up and fed before going over the new books Stephen gave me.” Teddy nodded and pressed a kiss to Billy’s temple.

“I will. Now sleep.”

Billy instantly passed out cold.

 

 

\---------

 

Teddy sighed and shifted Sophia in his arms, ignoring the way she cooed at the people in the meeting and how almost everyone cooed back. It was funny how some of the universe’s most powerful individuals could be reduced to putty at the sight of a baby. Teddy was still surprised every time Commander Rogers would ask to hold her and give her kisses on her nose. His daughter was kissed by a Captain America! He was sure he should’ve felt a little more overprotective, but he was too busy fan-boying about it with his own husband to care.

Sophia did surprisingly well throughout the meeting, only once growing fussy, but that was easily solved when Teddy popped a bottle in her mouth and let her play with his fingers while she ate. Afterward he quickly burped her, causing a few people to snicker at her loud belch, and set her up on his lap; he smiled when she rested her back and head against his stomach to watch everyone at the table. Teddy tried not to laugh when he noticed Cage wiggle his fingers at Sophia, which made her let out a quiet giggle and slap her hands on the table with excitement. God, his kid was adorable.

He held one of her tiny hands in his larger one -- so much larger -- and smiled as she gummed one of his fingers.

Kate made a beeline for Teddy the minute Tony called an end to the meeting, and before he could even greet her, Sophia was lifted from his lap and curled into her new godmother’s arms. “Hello, Sophia. How is my favorite little niece today?” she asked, because leave it to Kate to actually talk to a baby without the goofy voice or weird words.

“She’s your only niece,” Teddy reminded her.

She rolled her eyes at him and tapped Sophia on the nose, causing her to go cross-eyed for a moment. Kate smiled and deftly kept her long hair out of the baby's grasp. “Doesn’t mean she can’t be my favorite. Isn’t that right?” she asked Sophia.

Teddy chuckled when Sophia let a spit bubble come out of her mouth, popping it when she smiled. Kate grinned and hoisted her up, one arm going under Sophia’s puffy, diapered butt, and the other hand moving out under her arm to hold her steady. “Also, I wanted to let you know that my other baptism present for her will be coming soon.”

Teddy groaned and covered his face with his hands. “No, Kate! No more presents!”

“Yes! Yes, more presents.”

Teddy moved his hands and glared at the beautiful woman in front of him. She was wearing black leggings with a loose, light purple tunic, which would have looked far too simple for Kate Bishop if she hadn’t had the glittery black flats and shiny silver bangles on her wrists. Even her hair was perfect, which made sense since it was her pride and joy. “Kate… Billy and I are still trying to figure out how to store all the gifts that you, Tony and Rebecca and Jeff got her. I still don’t see what a three month old could ever need a silver rattle studded in diamonds for.”

“Don’t be dissing my baby gifts!” they heard Tony shout over in his direction, and Teddy shook his head while Kate let out a sharp laugh.

“Don’t worry. It’s something I’m pretty sure you and Billy will be very thankful for, especially Billy since he’s the one bringing home the bacon.” Teddy frowned at that part. He knew Kate meant nothing by it, but it still rubbed him raw when he was reminded that Billy was the one with the paying job and the college degree, and that he was still a semi-active part of the Avengers. When did his husband become the man that could do it all? “Please tell me it’s a romantic vacation to the Bahamas or something.”

Kate snorted, blue eyes rolling as she let Sophia play with her bracelets. “And how would letting her dads leave her for another country so they can screw like wild monkeys be a present for her?” Her smile widened at how red Teddy’s face grew, the others in the room listening in and laughing quietly. “Nope. I got her something she will actually use when the time comes.” She pressed a kiss to Sophia’s dark curls; Sophia continued to try and eat Kate’s bracelet.

“What did you get her?”

Kate raised a perfectly arched eyebrow at his tone. “Oh come on, Altman. I know you can ask nicer than that. Can’t he, Soph?” She bounced Sophia a bit, causing an explosion of giggles and smiles.

“Oh fine and wise goddess of upper New York.” He ignored Kate’s choked laugh and raised his hand into the air as if he was offering a sacrifice, ignoring the way people looked at them. “Please, I beg of thee, bless your humble servant with the knowledge of what you are giving his daughter. So that he might send word to his significant other and warn him, oh beautiful lady with aim so true.”

“Oh my god, Teddy.”

He couldn’t help smiling at her amused tone and dropped his hands back down into his lap. “Was that enough for you, or do I need to get a virgin and toss them into a volcano?”

“Oh, I don’t know. Virgins aren’t really my style. I like them a little more experienced.”

“Kate! Not while you’re holding my kid!”

Kate laughed and gave Sophia another kiss on the head. “Okay, okay.” She let go of Sophia’s side, leaning the little one against her chest for support while she reached into her small, black purse. Kate pulled out a golden envelope and passed it over to Teddy, who took it and smirked at the beautiful way Sophia’s name was written out.

“Really? You know Billy is going to kill me if this gets even slightly wrinkled.”

“Why?”

Teddy waved his hand. “He’s making a scrapbook. He’s keeping everything, and I mean everything.” Teddy really didn’t want to think about how they were going to explain to Sophia when she got older as to _why_ exactly her Papa kept the egg shell she came from in the back of their closet. Teddy could understand saving a piece, but not the entire shell. He shook his head as he remembered how adamant Billy had been about preserving it, and carefully pulled the thin piece of paper out of the envelope.

He frowned slightly, a bit confused as to why Kate would give Sophia a check until he read the writing on the paper. Teddy’s eyes widened and he could feel his jaw go slack as he read everything twice before looking up at Kate. “You… Two… That’s… Kate!”

“It’s for when she goes to college,” she replied, as if she was just letting him borrow her pen.

“It’s two hundred thousand dollars!”

Sophia let out a laugh at her father’s raised voice, and Kate chuckled as she bopped Sophia’s tiny turned-up nose with her finger. “Well, duh. I mean, I have to help her prepare for when she gets into an Ivy League school. I mean, with Billy’s brains and your charm I’m sure she could get in with a scholarship, but just in case.”

She winked at Teddy, and he had to place the check on the board room table because his hands were shaking slightly and he didn’t want to wrinkle it. He had never held that much money in his hands in his entire life. He knew he should give it back. That was the right thing to do after all. A present of this magnitude was far too much to accept, even if it was from one of their best friends and Sophia’s aunt… but part of him wanted to keep it.

God only knew if they would really even be able to get her into a state college or community college, even with Billy’s full-time salary, and oh God, what if she resented them for not being able to give her what she wanted? What if she grew up, started hanging out with the wrong crowd, started dating a guy named Cletus who was awful to her and didn’t treat her like the princess she was (literally), then she started using drugs and alcohol to drown her sorrows and still refused to talk to him and Billy—all because she had to go to a state university?

Yeah, okay. That was a bit dramatic, but still.

Teddy watched his daughter play with Kate’s necklace, and he felt his heartstrings tug slightly with the way her blue eyes lit up at the jingling sound, her black curls now longer but still able to stick straight up at crazy angles just like Billy’s. God, he loved her.

“What if she doesn’t want to go to college?” he tried, a last-ditch effort to have Kate take back her present by herself.

He should have known that wouldn’t work, because Kate just shrugged and gave Sophia a kiss on the forehead, causing Sophia to try and grab Kate’s hair again. “Well, then keep it for if she wants to travel. Oh god, I can picture her in Paris or Rome. A beautiful brunette walking along the streets of Milan, all the men and women will instantly fall in love.” Kate winked at Teddy, and Teddy had the urge to instate a rule that the minute Sophia went into puberty she would have to stay indoors. “And she could go see all the wonderful art and buildings, because if she takes after you she will love that.”

Teddy grinned bashfully and was about to comment when the Avengers Alert started to sound.

 

 

\------

 

 

Saying that Billy was tired was probably one of the biggest understatements of the century.

Teddy was an awful, wonderful husband for waking him up around six instead of three, which meant that he got more rest but had less time to finish everything he needed to. Luckily Teddy had gotten up and fed Sophia for him while he was out cold, so when he woke up all he had to do was go to his office and start his assigned reading from Stephen.

When the words started to blur together he went to get a cup of coffee, ate what Teddy made for dinner, kissed both Teddy and Soph goodnight, and went back to studying. Magic and spells were difficult already, and it didn’t help when Billy needed to pull out his pocket Latin-to-English dictionary to translate almost every word for a good seven pages. It wasn’t until four in the morning that he realized he still hadn’t worked on the research Professor Xavier had asked him to do about the newest addition to the school, and if he would also be able to sit in with Emma Frost during a therapy session for one of the students this Wednesday which meant reading through the kids file.

By his second caffeine pill his hands were shaking and he could hear Sophia fuss, so he decided to take a break and let Teddy sleep by calming his girl down. He found it relaxing to sit in the padded rocking chair with Sophia in the crook of his arm, making soft suckling noises as she fed. He liked watching her large, blue eyes grow heavy, fighting off sleep as best she could before the rubber nipple slipped from her slack mouth and Billy knew she was down for the count.

He hadn’t realized he’d fallen asleep until Teddy came in around seven in the morning, dressed in his Captain Marvel uniform to get Sophia ready for the meeting. Billy chuckled as Teddy hand-picked Sophia’s outfit, and he continued to rock her so she wouldn’t wake.

Teddy tried to get the mass of curls on top of Sophia’s head into a butterfly clip, but she woke up when she felt the comb against her scalp and started to cry, so they left the curly mess the way it was. Billy fed her while Teddy packed his backpack and Sophia’s diaper bag. Teddy always over-packed on everything so Billy had to unpack a few things while his husband was distracted with making coffee. By the time his husband and his child were out the door, it was time for Billy to take a speed shower and race off to the hospital to make his appointment with the Mullers. He was running on empty, so when a giant gaping portal opened up over Manhattan and shadow creatures started to swarm the city, Billy was about ready to call quits on life.

He pressed the communicator in his ear and heard it crackle with static. One of the large creatures came lumbering towards him, swinging its freakish scythe arm at him before making a choked scream and calling more towards him.

“Stephen! What are these things?!” He shouted into the device, not happy when all he heard was more static from Strange’s end. The Scythe Slinger thing tried coming at him again and thank god Teddy had taught him those few basic defense moves, because this thing was fast. Billy hissed as the dark, shadowed blade slid across his arm. His uniformtore and blood seeped from a fresh wound.

The communicator crackled and he could hear Stephen for a moment. “Wicc-, I nee-… -elp!”

“Shit!” He threw up his hand in defense as the creature pulled its arm back for another strike. “ _Iwishyouwouldfreeze!_ ”It wasn’t as powerful as he had hoped, but at least the creature stopped long enough for him to move out of the way and teleport to the last place where he had known Stephen was.

When he appeared in Stephen’s living room, the first thing Billy noticed was how silent the entire home was. It looked exactly how Strange always left it, books and magic artifacts laying around on tables, shelves, and the floor; a small fine china cup filled with tea was still sitting at the large mahogany desk, obviously gone cold by now. Billy took a cautious step towards the desk, cringing at how loud his footsteps were in the silence and wondering why he couldn’t hear the chaos outside.

Billy moved his hand to his ear, pressing the microphone button. “This is Wiccan here. I received a call for help from Strange in this location, but I can’t locate him.” Billy squinted and tried to see into the something. “How is everything going in the portal?”

Billy moved to take a look at the books on the desk as he waited for a response, and frowned when the language he saw on the pages was nothing he had ever seen before. He flipped through a few pages before his communicator made a noise. He put his hand back to his ear, ready to go on a rescue mission or help the team outside.

“B! Are you there? Where are you?!”

 _Teddy._ “Yeah. I’m here.” Billy frowned, why did his husband sound so panicked?  “Is everything alright? Do you need me to come help outside?”

“Where are you?!”

Billy frowned and moved towards one of the windows in the living room, moving the heavy lace curtain out of the way to look outside at the street. To his surprise it was strangely void of anything—no cars, people, not even shadow monsters. “I’m at Strange’s home. I’m responding to a distress call from him.”

“Wiccan?” That was Stephen’s voice. “I sent out no call!”

“What?” Billy asked dumbly, the silence and lack of any sign of life around him slowly starting to make sense. He felt his stomach grow cold. Billy quickly backed away from the window and closed his eyes, his hands glowing blue as he attempted a teleportation spell. Something blocked his magic, though. That should have been his first warning.

“Billy!” Teddy yelled in his ear. “It’s a trap! Get out!”

Something moved in the kitchen and Billy, for the first time in a long while, could feel fear run through his entire body. Something was in the house, something powerful enough to negate his magic, Strange’s barriers, and those shadow creatures. He licked his lips and let out an unsteady breath as he slowly moved towards the dark room, trying to get his powers up and kicking at least a little bit.  
  
“ _Monstra te esse! Tibi dico!_ ” He shouted in Latin, doing his best to keep his voice firm and steady.

It was quiet, though Billy strained to hear something, anything. Then something moved in the darkness. A moderately large form hobbled into view, and Billy recoiled from the sight of it. At first glance it looked human, almost, but it lacked arms, and it shambled as if its knees were not correctly in place. The hair, if that’s what it really was, was as long and as black as its skin was white, and it hung over its face in a tangled mess. It was completely naked, with nothing but flat skin between its legs.

Billy took another step back as it shuffled toward him and raised his hand. “ _Desine!_ ” To his surprise the creature stopped, rolling its head back so that its hair would part enough for it to see. Billy’s stomach lurched at the sight of its face. The eyes were absent, and in their place were bloody eye sockets; its lips appeared to have been cut off so its mouth was little more than a putrid gash lined in jagged teeth.

“Who are you?” He demanded. He felt something weird against his lips, and his hands flew to his mouth in horror when he realized that his mouth had melted shut. He didn’t feel any pain, maybe because he was too frightened (with all the adrenaline pumping and his heart beat sounding in his ears it could very well have been that,) but Billy fought to stay calm and stood his ground when the creature staggered toward him.

It made a hacking noise and lurched its upper body forward, and Billy pulled his left fist back, ready to punch the living shit out of it when he noticed it was coughing something up. Drool dripped onto the floor in heavy large droplets, and Billy might have gagged if his mouth hadn’t disappeared. After one final heave the creature spat out a large, wadded-up piece of wet parchment paper onto Billy’s boots.

The creature whined sadly and tilted its head towards the sopping ball, its hair brushing the floor as it tried to bend down on its knees while armless. Billy was surprised to realize that his mouth was back to normal. He bent down to pick up the wad of paper himself, which caused the creature to let out an almost pleased sound.

He tried to ignore the thing’s struggle to return to its feet as he slowly unfolded the ball of parchment, surprised that it didn’t rip even though it was obviously soaked through. Billy frowned when he noticed that, beneath his full name written across the top in beautiful calligraphy, there was more scrawled in childish handwriting.

_Master William Kaplan-Altman,_

_You have been cordially invited to dine in the company of Master Box. Once there please order a drink of your choice from the bar, say hi to Carly she is truly the best, and please have a seat at the table._

Billy scrunched his face up in confusion and looked up at the creature. It was playing with one of the crystals on Stephen’s bookshelf, using its nose to poke at it until it fell quietly onto the plush Persian rug. He no longer really feared it; the creature was more like a giant, ugly Labrador than anything. Billy picked up the fallen crystal, placing it back on the shelf before turning to it and pointing at the note.

“What is this?” He demanded, not stopping to wonder how the thing could see what he was pointing at with no eyes. He surprised himself by not moving when it let out a small whine and moved forward to rest its head on him, oily black hair spilling down his shoulder and the smell of rotting flesh attacking his nose. Billy choked back a gag and closed his eyes when it started to make crying noises.

He didn’t have the time or the energy for whoever’s nonsense this was; his husband and team needed him. He took a steadying breath, getting ready to move this creature off of him and break whatever spell seemed to be on Stephen’s apartment, when he heard the softest sounds of piano keys being played.

Billy opened his eyes and cursed loudly as he realized that the creature was no longer in front of him, and that he was no longer in Stephen’s apartment. Instead of the cluttered shelves and antique furnishings he was now in a place that looked reminded him heavily of the Metropolitan Opera House lobby, with its bright red carpet and large staircases leading up to places he couldn’t even imagine. The chandelier hanging above his head was breathtaking; he took a step back as he drank in the sight of the monstrous thing, the crystals gleaming from the light of the small bulbs it carried.

He noticed that his arm had been healed, the blood gone and the rip in his suit stitched up perfectly. No snag or seam could be seen in the fabric as he inspected it. This was way better than anything his magic could have done. Hell, it was almost better than Stephen’s own healing spells.

Billy jumped when he heard a sound from behind him, and whipped around to see what it was. There was a fully stocked, black marble bar off to the side. A woman in a fitted white oxford shirt, black vest and bow tie was stacking a few rocks glasses near the back of the bar. The large mirror that made up the wall behind all the bottles and glasses was lined with small, white Christmas lights, which made the bar glitter with their reflections against all the glass.

Billy took a hesitant step towards it, fully aware that his powers still hadn’t returned to him. He cleared his throat and tried to look as tough as he could when the woman turned around. She was attractive, her form very small and thin, and her dark brown hair pulled back into a simple, low pony tail. Her eyes were what caught his attention, though—brilliant and blue, heavily lined with dark eyeliner and framed with thick lashes. Her pink glossed lips twitched in a smile as she looked around rather dramatically before turning back to him. "Can I offer you a drink, Mr. Kaplan? Or should I stand here and let you gawk a bit longer?"

Billy shook his head, not at all liking that this woman knew his name when he knew so little about what even was going on. He did his best to he stare her down. "How do you know my name?" He demanded, crossing his arms over his chest to hide his fear. "Where am I, and why can't I use my powers?"

"I'll make you a Jameson and Coke then," she replied, filling a tall glass with ice. She grabbed a pretty green bottle of alcohol, expertly pouring the right amount before taking the soda gun to her right and filling the rest up with the fizzy, sugary liquid. She slid it towards him and smiled. "Everyone knows your name, Mr. Kaplan. You’re Master Box's honored guest. They made sure to pull out all the stops tonight, just for you."

Billy scrunched his nose. He didn’t like being the only one who didn’t know what was going on. He didn't touch the drink she made him, instead keeping a careful eye on her as she put her hands on her hips and watched him.

"As for where you are,” she said, “that is a bit hard to describe. I guess I could go into the details of pocket dimensions, time warps, and such, but I'm afraid I'm not very good at explaining that kind of thing. I can answer why your powers aren't working, though."

Billy's hands formed into fists against his chest.

 "Why?" He barked, perhaps a little harsher than he’d meant to, but this was no game so he couldn't bring himself to care. "Tell me right now."

She nodded and nudged the drink a little closer to him, even though he was still several feet from the bar. "It's because Master Box put a power cap on you the moment you walked into that house. We couldn't exactly have you up and vanishing when we needed to talk to you."

"So you trapped and kidnapped me?" He snapped.

She sighed and rested her elbows on the bar, giving him a patient look. "Well, I can't take credit. I'm only a bartender after all, but I do know it was necessary—otherwise you wouldn't have spoken with the Master."

"You don't know that," he snipped, but both of them knew she was right. Even if he was out of his mind and had agreed to go, Teddy never would have let him go to some unknown cosmic being’s dimension to talk about whatever these people wanted to talk about.

"Alright,” he admitted with a hiss.  “Then what the hell does your 'Master' want to talk with me about?" Billy yelled, his temper spiking again as she just shrugged and poured herself a drink. He slammed his fists down on the bar top, surprised that without his powers he was still able to make the heavy marble shake. A few of the glass liquor bottles quaked and clinked together.

The woman seemed unimpressed by his show of strength and rage, taking a small sip from her glass.

“We have a common goal.”

“And what’s that?”

“Your daughter,” another voice whispered close to his ear. Billy about jumped out of his skin and whirled around to face the new threat, his fists coming up defensively, his mind running through everything Teddy and Kate had taught him about self-defense. Then again, what good would it do against magic?

Billy frowned, confused but unwilling to let his guard down, when he came face to face with a rather small looking woman. Her hair was dark and pulled up into a tight bun. She watched him with one brown eye, her other eye covered with a patch that made him think of a campy remake of Treasure Island. Her skin was light grey and looked like leather that had been pulled too tightly against the skull, while the smile she had on her face gave him the chills; all of her teeth could be seen, every one of them sharp and pointed exactly like a shark’s.

He watched as she moved towards the chair next to him. Her body seemed to move as if she had no bones when she slid into the chair and tapped on the bar top lightly with her palm. She was dressed in black fitted slacks and white button down shirt, and would have looked like a normal office worker if it wasn’t for the patch and crazy ass teeth. The woman behind the bar smiled and nodded, getting to work on a drink for the newcomer while Billy tried to watch both of them, ready for an attack at any time.

The weird shark woman with the eye patch waited for her drink quietly, smiling to the bartender and thanking her by name— _Carly_ —when she handed her a rather odd green drink. Then, she finally glanced at Billy with her good eye and smiled. “Won’t you sit?”

His anger started to trump his confusion, the raw urge to protect his child forcing his hands into fists as he tried to quell his need to strangle this woman with his bare hands for even bringing her up. “Fuck no! What the hell do you want with my daughter?!”

 “Sophia is in danger right now. Do you really think it’s a good time to be distrusting of someone who wants to help?” Her smile was gone, only to be replaced with a look of annoyance, as if she couldn’t believe he was acting like this when _they_ were the ones that took _him_ away and were giving him absolutely no answers besides telling him that one of the people he loved most in the world was now in danger.

Billy took a deep breath through his nose, wishing for one of the first times ever that he still had his powers; suddenly being completely human again and unable to do anything while playing this game was awful. He exhaled the heavy breath from his mouth, trying his best to rid himself of the frustration and panic he felt as he turned to the woman with a grim look. “Who are you?”

“Master Box.”

He was a bit thrown off by her frank and short answer but he kept strong, reaching out to hold onto the bar with a trembling hand. “What do you want?”

“To help Sophia.”

“Why?”

A small turn of her lips. “Because she is important.”

He felt something shift in him, something that made his fingertips go numb before tingling, as if they had fallen asleep. He heard Carly gasp as a small spark of electric blue formed around his hand before dying out. Apparently, even some batshit-insane powerhouse couldn’t keep his crazy powers under control for long when he was this worked up. But while both women had seen it, only Carly seemed on edge; the other woman only glanced down at her drink with a deep frown.

“Nightmare is coming for her, William,” Box stated quietly, slowly cracking each knuckle with her thumb. “He’s coming to take her and no one can stop him, not even you or your Doctor Strange, unless you use my help.”

Billy’s stomach went cold, and he let his guard down as he tried to think through what that meant. Nightmare couldn’t come from just anywhere; he normally attacked and killed in dreams, which meant if he was attacking right now, he was calling in some huge favors from others to do it while everyone was awake. For Sophia, though? Why? The closest thing she had to superpowers right now was her strength, which she obviously got from Teddy, but what the hell did Nightmare want with a strong baby?

“She doesn’t even have powers,” he defended weakly, panic filling him. He needed to get back. He needed to go home and warn Teddy, to warn everyone of what was happening, if any of this was actually true. His hands tingled again, more sparks shooting from his fingers. He almost felt angry again when he saw Master Box smile at the sight. “How do you know this? How do I know you aren’t just yanking my chain for some sick reason?”

“I know because I’ve seen it,” Box replied quietly, rubbing her covered eye and grimacing as if it hurt her. “And I give you my word as a cosmic being that I’m not ‘yanking your chain’ or anything else. All I want is to make sure Sophia lives through tonight.”

It seemed easy, too easy, but Billy was almost willing to let this woman do whatever she wanted as long as it kept Sophia safe. He took a deep breath before inching a little closer. “What do you want in return?”

Box finally looked him head on, her features much more frightening and ghostly now that he saw her up close. He knew he would be seeing that face in his nightmares from now on. She watched him for a moment, her one eye moving over him as if trying to find a weak point before coming to rest on his face, and that smile full of blades returned. “I only want the chance to protect what is important.”

He didn’t want to do this, he really didn’t want to do this, but if it would at least get him home, back to Teddy and Sophia, then fine. Billy gave a curt nod, biting his lip hard as he held out his hand to Box in order to shake on it. “Fine. Let’s do this.”

She looked at his hand in confusion before her smile came back, sending shivers down Billy’s spine. Then she reached up and lifted her eye patch. Billy had been expecting an injured eye, a clouded eye, maybe even just a gross empty socket, what he wasn’t expecting was bright, almost blinding, orange stone to be resting in the dark hole where her eye was supposed to be.

“Ready to see stars, Kaplan?”

He gulped as her cold palm slid against his, their skin barely touching, but he still felt an amazing jolt of power from the slight contact. He took a deep breath before looking her in the stone, exhaling slowly as he nodded and wrapped his hand around hers. “I’ve already seen them.”

“Then I’ll show you something better.”

 

\------

 

 

“What the fuck…” Kate sighed as she sat down on large piece of rubble that had been blasted from one of the nearby parking lots. Her arms ached, her leg was numb from where she had been shot, and her cheek stung from the cut she had gotten when one of the creatures had wound up too close. Their team was scattered and hurt, though luckily none were in critical condition.

Teddy did a quick head count after they all recovered from the shock of everything just vanishing. One minute a host of awful creatures poured forth from a giant portal, sending New York into a blind panic, and in the next one there was a bright flash of orange light and everything was quiet; the only evidence that anything had even happened was the mess the city was in and the wounds they had all received.

Kate glanced up as a shadow flew over her and gave a tired smile when Teddy landed next to her and shifted back to his human form. His eyes scanned her for wounds, even though she had already told him over the comm that she was fine. When he seemed satisfied with her condition he let out a sigh, the commanding presence of their team leader leaving him as his shoulders slumped. He took a seat next to her on the rubble.

They were quiet for a few moments, both just taking everything in before she turned to him with a concerned look. “Billy?” At the quiet gulp her friend made, Kate bit her bottom lip and laid a hand on his back, rubbing back and forth in a way she hoped was soothing. “Ted, it’s okay. We’ll find him.”

Teddy opened his mouth to say something, but then they saw a crack of lighting above their heads and felt a small gust of wind hit them. Kate pursed her lips when she saw the familiar sight of Sharpe in the air, his black suit and hair standing out easily in the light grey sky as he hovered for only a minute before landing next to Teddy. Kate had to hold back any comment as Sharpe laid a hand on Teddy’s bicep and looked him over with worry.

“You sure you’re okay? You were stabbed.” Kate rolled her eyes when Sharpe’s eyes moved to check Teddy’s side where he had been hit. All that remained of the wound now was the bloodstained, torn fabric of his uniform.

“I’m fine, Brandon. Really.” Teddy gently pulled his arm away from the man, which filled Kate with a weird sense of triumph. It wasn’t that she didn’t like Sharpe, really. He was a good fighter, a good teammate (sometimes), a fun person to drink with, and once you got past his snarky attitude he wasn’t a bad guy. It was the very obvious crush he had on Teddy which, you know, crushes happen and that’s fine, but when that person you are crushing on is _married_ and you continue to look and touch, that’s completely out of line. It also didn’t help that Billy and Teddy were like her family to her, so when someone tried to mess with that, they had better be ready for scathing looks and an earful from Kate.

Kate sighed loudly, happy that she got both their attention as she curled her good leg up to her chest and held onto it. Her wounded leg was starting to feel stiff, and she knew she would have to see a doctor before long.

“Well, now that we’ve established that everyone is okay—thanks for asking by the way, Sharpe.” She shrugged a shoulder when he pursed his lips at her. “I think it’s time we regroup and figure out what exactly the hell just happened, because I can’t be the only one here who is confused about those shadow monsters and portal suddenly disappearing in a giant flash of light.”

Teddy nodded and pressed two fingers to his earpiece before ordering everyone on their team who could to meet back at headquarters in about three hours. Carol and her team had taken the eastern side of the city, and Kate could hear Teddy asking her if everyone was all right. Kate rolled her shoulder back, smiling when it let out a satisfying pop. Luckily, like them, Carol’s team had suffered few injuries, but she was already starting clean up duty, pulling every uninjured member in to help, which made both Teddy and Kate laugh at how overzealous Danvers was.

Kate turned back towards Sharpe when he cracked his back and put his hands on his slim hips. “So, does that mean we’re on clean-up also?”

“Me and you for sure,” Teddy replied, glancing over at Kate with a bit of worry. “You, on the other hand, are going to the hospital.”

“Whaaaa?” Kate joked and motioned to the bloody hole in her thigh. “Because of this thing? Tis only a flesh wound.”

She grinned, and Sharpe frowned in confusion when Teddy started to laugh loudly, his arms moving to cover his stomach as the laugh slowly dissolved into quiet chuckles and snorts. “Oh my god…Kate. You just quoted Monty Python and I couldn’t be prouder.”

His praise made her happy, and she would have gotten up to curtsy if she could even stand. “Why thank you.”

“Oh man. I need to tell Bill—” At the mention of the mage’s name Teddy grew serious again, and all three of them went quiet for all different reasons. Kate was just about to reach for Teddy’s hand when that bright orange light struck again from the sky. This time it was in the form of a beam, touching down somewhere out at sea. All three watched as it grew brighter and brighter until it vanished completely.

They waited in silence, but nothing happened.

“I wonder if Reed knows anything about this…” Teddy trailed off, the sky around where the light had struck still holding an orange hue. “Science or magic this time?”

“God, I’m hoping science,” Sharpe grunted, while Kate and Teddy could only nod in agreement with him.

They all jumped when their comms beeped, and Kate could almost feel the relief wash over her entire body when she heard Rhodes on the other end. “Wiccan is spotted. I repeat, I’ve spotted Wiccan. I’m bringing him to shore now.”

Kate opened her mouth to reply, but a gust of wind hit her side before she could respond. She tilted her head back to see Teddy already in the sky, his green wings spread wide as he glided at top speed towards the location Rhodes had sent over their comms. When Teddy was nothing more than a small green and yellow speck in the sky, Kate sighed and turned her head towards Sharpe, waving him over and grinning when he scowled at her.

“Well, come on. I’m not going to get to the hospital just by wishing hard enough.”

She wrapped her arms around his strong neck as he gently slid one arm under her knees and the other behind her back. He was careful when he hoisted her up, so that he didn’t jostle her too much and cause her any discomfort or pain.

Kate had to smile. Deep down Sharpe was a good guy; she just wished he would set his sights on someone more attainable. “Right, now to the hospital. Mush!”

“I’m not a dog you know.” Sharpe grumbled, but he started to move anyway and Kate held tight.

 

 

 

 

**Case File**

**20260610-CB-MB-POI-104**  
  
 **AVENGERS PERSON OF INTEREST**  
 **Written by Elijah Bradley, Justice**  
 **Sources by William Kaplan-Altman, Wiccan**

 

**THE BARTENDER, CARLY**

**Real Name:** Carly

 **Aliases:** The Bartender

 **Relatives:** Unknown

 **Affiliations:** Master Box

 **Base of Operation:** Unknown

 **Alignment:** Unknown

 **Citizenship:** Unknown

 **Marital Status:** Unknown

 **Occupation:** Bartender

 

**CARACTERISITICS**

**Gender:** Female

 **Height:** 5’4

 **Weight:** Unknown

 **Eyes:** Blue

 **Hair:** Brown

 **Skin:** White

 **Distinguishing Features:** None

 **Notes:** Bartender in another dimension. That is all we have at the moment.

 

**BOX, MASTER**

 

 **Real Name:** Unknown

 **Aliases:** Master Box

 **Relatives:** Unknown

 **Affiliations:** Carly the Bartender

 **Base of Operations:** Unknown

 **Alignment:** Unknown

 **Citizenship:** Unknown

 **Marital Status:** Unknown

 **Occupation:** Unknown

 

**CARACTERISTICS**

**Gender:** Female

 **Height:** 4’9

 **Weight:** Unknown

 **Eyes:** Brown, Orange (Stone)

 **Hair:** Brown

 **Skin:** Grey

 **Distinguishing Features:** Sharp teeth

 **Notes:** Not a lot is known of Master Box and whether they pose a future threat or not is unclear at the present time. We are aware of their need to keep Sophia Kaplan- Altman (See file 345-26 K for more information) alive and will continue to keep a close eye on the child for her future safety along with her parents. **It has come to our attention that Master box is in possession of the Time Infinity Stone.**

**Author's Note:**

> The skit Billy thinks of in the shower is this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrFUBKCONfs
> 
> The tiny bit where Teddy talks about Sophia's hair is from Khirshale's story The Edge of Seventeen. I wanted to make sure the scenes tied in together well.


End file.
